Mws-Bread with Honey, Oat Bran & Teff Wip
Submitted by McClellan
Honey oat bran yeast bread with a crunchy egg-white-glazed crust. Freezer-friendly dough recipe that makes two hearty loaves with whole grains and a chewy, golden crumb.
YIELD
2 loavesPREP
1 hrsCOOK
40 minREADY
2 hrsThis sturdy yeast bread packs a full cup of oat bran and whole grain into a honey-sweetened dough that bakes up with serious chew and a crackly, golden crust. The recipe makes two loaves, but the clever built-in freezer method lets you bake one now and stash the other half as raw dough for later.
Soaking the oat bran for 15 minutes before adding the flour is a key step. It hydrates the bran so it doesn’t steal moisture from the dough during kneading, which would leave you with a dry, crumbly loaf. The honey and melted butter keep things tender despite all that whole grain.
The egg white wash brushed on before baking does double duty: it gives the crust that glossy bakery finish and acts as glue for the oat bran topping. For an even crustier result, spray water into the oven every 5 minutes during baking, or set a water-filled pie pan on a lower rack to create steam.
Pro Tips
- Use a stand mixer if you have one. This dough is stiff. A KitchenAid with a dough hook cuts kneading time nearly in half, from 8 minutes to about 5.
- Check rise times early. A warm spot can cut the 45-minute rise to 35. Over-proofed dough collapses during baking.
- Freeze half the dough. Press it into an oiled gallon freezer bag, squeeze out all air, and freeze immediately. Thaw until doubled, then shape and bake as normal.
- Bake on a stone for better crust. If you have a baking stone, use it. You’ll shave about 5 minutes off bake time and get a crispier bottom.
Variations
- Seeded top: Replace the oat bran topping with sesame seeds or a mix of poppy and sunflower seeds.
- Molasses swap: Use blackstrap molasses instead of honey for a darker, more robust flavor with extra iron.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl, stir together water and Brown Sugar or Honey.
Sprinkle with Yeast and stir until it has dissolved.
Stir in Oat Bran and grain seed.
Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes to let the Oat Bran absorb liquid.
Do all in a KitchenAid mixer if available.
Add oil and eggs. Mix very well.
Stir in Salt.
One cup at a time, mix in flour until the dough becomes too difficult to stir.
Turn out on to a “well floured” work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour only as necessary to keep from sticking, about 8 minutes.
It takes 4 or 5 minutes on the KitchenAid.
This recipe usually takes 6 full cups of flour.
This is the place where I freeze ½ of this bread.
To Freeze: place the ½ recipe of this dough into an oiled labeled gallon plastic freezer bag.
Squeeze all of the air out of the bag and seal tightly.
Freeze at once.
To use; defrost several hours until dough rises to double its frozen bulk, then proceed.
For the half recipe of dough that you are going to proceed with, continue.
Place the dough in a large well oiled bowl.
I spray the used KitchenAid Bowl with non-stick and throw the dough back in, spray the top of the dough as well.
Cover with plastic wrap, or a moist towel.
Let the dough rise in a warm draft free place.
Check the rise at 45 minutes, the “perfect place” rises this bread in 45 minutes.
Punch dough down.
If you are doing this entire recipe, divide the dough in half.
Shape each half into a loaf.
This also makes a nice round loaf with a crunchy crust.
Pan Loaf making: beginning at one narrow end, tightly roll up the dough to form a loaf.
Pinch seam edge into dough to seal. Lightly oil a loaf pan.
Meanwhile, place oven rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375℉ (190℃).
Place each loaf in a prepared 8½ inch X 8½ inch X 8½ inch loaf pan, seam side down.
Cover, let it rise in a warm place free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes .
Check the rise at 35 minutes, the “perfect place” rises this bread in the pan, in 35 minutes.
This is the place where I make decorative slits into the top of the loaf.
In a small bowl, whisk egg white with one tablespoons of water.
Brush a little of the egg white mixture over the top of the loaf and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Oat Bran, or sesame seeds just before placing in the oven.
Bake for 35 minutes on a baking stone or 40 minutes in the bread pan.
To make the crust even crustier, spray the top of the loaf with water, and liberally spray the inside of the oven at 5 minute intervals and/or place a water filled pie pan in the oven on a lower rack than the bread.
Makes one or two loaves, each about 8½ inch slices.
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