Oatmeal Batter Bread

Makes: One Loaf

Time: 1.5 Hours

Cook Time: 40 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm buttermilk (whole or 2 %) 

1/4 cup honey or molasses 

1 packet of active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 3/4 cup bread flour 

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats, plus more to sprinkle

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine the warm milk, honey/molasse, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast. Let the mixture rest for five minutes.
• Spray an 8 by 4 by 2 inch loaf tin with cooking oil spray.
• Add the bread flour, egg, oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Beat on low for a minute to combine, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 minutes. The dough will be very sticky.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in the oats and whole wheat flour and work it in until well incorporated. Spoon into the loaf tin and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle more oats on top. Cover lightly with a sheet of buttered cling film and leave to rise for an hour until double in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• 4. Bake the loaf for 15 minutes. Loosely tent with aluminum foil and bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes until done. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• This bread will keep for up to three days at room temperature, or you can freeze it for up to a month. I like to keep my bread in the refrig. to keep it fresh.

I found this recipe on The English Kitchen Blog. On this site you can meet Marie and Marie is a good cook with a lot of recipes. Marie states she found this recipe in Better Homes & Gardens cookbook Comfort Foods dated 2013.

Batter bread will have eggs and regular bread dough often does not. Batter bread is much thinner than regular bread dough. There is no need for kneading.

I changed the recipe a bit and I think for the better. Below are my changes.

The recipe called for whole or 2% milk. I used buttermilk. I like the bit of flavor it adds to a recipe. My mom always has dried powdered buttermilk in the freezer. Now, so do I. When we were a family of seven kids growing up on the farm and 20 miles from town, we always had a box of dried milk in the freezer in case we had a blizzard and ran out of milk. Oh, those were the days!

I learned while taking a bread class, to use warm water to activate the yeast, or proofing the yeast. The baker told the class, test the water from the faucet on my forearm, just above your wrist, until it’s the temp of bath water for a baby or until it feels like there’s no water at all running on your wrist. Not too hot not too cool. Too hot you’ll kill the yeast, not warm enough the yeast will be too cold to rise! the best is 100 to 110 degrees.

I used honey for this recipe but you can use molasse for a more hardy flavor. I tried using ¼ cup of honey, minus one tablespoon and I added 1 tablespoon of molasses. Next time I think I will use just honey.

During COVID, Warren experimented with bread flour vs reg. flour while making bread. He found the different flours do make a different loaf of bread. So, I would recommend using bread flour like the recipe calls for. Because of the higher amount of protein and higher gluten it gives it a nice airy, chewy texture.

I found I did not need to tent the loaf but you can certainly cover it if it is looking to get a bit browner than you like.

Warren came home and said the house smelt good! We often fight over the butt end of the loaf, thank goodness there are two ends! We cut off a slab, buttered it, and sat down to discuss how this loaf turned out the results were, “This is really good.” And he got up to cut himself another piece! I toasted a piece and added some smashed avocado to mine. Avocado and Oatmeal what could be better for your cholesterol!

This recipe has been added to my “Make it Again list!

Enjoy!