Oat Wheat Bread

A bread-machine loaf that earns its slot in the morning toaster rotation. Equal parts whole-wheat flour and bread flour keep this loaf hearty without turning into a brick, and three quarters of a cup of rolled oats folded into the dough gives the crumb a chew and the crust a soft, slightly bumpy texture.

A spoonful of dry milk powder is the small ingredient that makes the difference. It feeds the yeast just enough sugar without slowing the rise, and it pushes the crumb from dry-and-crumbly into tender-and-soft. Five minutes of measuring, three hours of machine time, sixteen sturdy slices ready for sandwiches and toast.

This is the loaf to make on Sunday for the week ahead.

Kitchen Tips

• Add ingredients in the order your bread machine specifies; most want yeast on top of the dry ingredients to keep it away from the salt
• Use water that feels just warmer than skin temperature; hot water kills yeast on contact
• Old-fashioned rolled oats hold their shape in the crumb; quick oats melt in and disappear
• Brush the warm loaf with a little melted butter for a softer crust as it cools
• Slice fully cooled bread; warm bread squashes under a serrated knife

Variations

• Stir in a tablespoon of honey in place of the sugar for a deeper, more rounded sweetness
• Add a quarter cup of sunflower seeds with the oats for extra crunch
• Swap a half cup of bread flour for rye flour for a more rustic loaf