Traca's note: Dense, dark and delicious. Love this bread! Definitely a favorite. We love it sliced thin and toasted or just slathered with butter.
Cornmeal Oat Molasses Bread
from The Cheese Board Collective Cookbook
A relative of the anadama bread, this bread has a high, rounded shape. The cornmeal adds crunchiness, and toasting this bread makes it even more nutty and crispy.
Makes 2 loaves
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups bread flour
2 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons medium-grind yellow cornmeal*
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
2/3 cup dark unsulfured molasses
In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the flours, the 3/4 cup cornmeal, the oats, and salt.
If using a stand mixer, add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and molasses to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook, increase the mixer speed to medium, and kneed for 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and kneed by hand for a few minutes until the dough is soft but still holds its shape.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Lightly spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide dough into 2 pieces, shape into a loaf, and place in prepared pans. Using a spray bottle, mist the tops and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornmeal. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough has risen 1 1/2 inches above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.
Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising, slash the tops. Remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes longer. Turn the loaf pans around front to bake and switch sides left to right. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep brown, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.
* The original recipe called for 1/4 cup cornmeal on the tops of the loaves. My experience, nearly all of it fell off. On my 2nd batch, I used to 2 tablespoons, which worked perfectly.
Cornmeal Oat Molasses Bread
from The Cheese Board Collective Cookbook
A relative of the anadama bread, this bread has a high, rounded shape. The cornmeal adds crunchiness, and toasting this bread makes it even more nutty and crispy.
Makes 2 loaves
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups bread flour
2 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons medium-grind yellow cornmeal*
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
2/3 cup dark unsulfured molasses
In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the flours, the 3/4 cup cornmeal, the oats, and salt.
If using a stand mixer, add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and molasses to the bowl. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. Switch to the dough hook, increase the mixer speed to medium, and kneed for 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and kneed by hand for a few minutes until the dough is soft but still holds its shape.
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Lightly spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide dough into 2 pieces, shape into a loaf, and place in prepared pans. Using a spray bottle, mist the tops and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornmeal. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the dough has risen 1 1/2 inches above the rim of the pan and a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.
Fifteen minutes before the loaves have finished rising, slash the tops. Remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes longer. Turn the loaf pans around front to bake and switch sides left to right. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep brown, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Unmold the loaves onto a wire rack to cool.
* The original recipe called for 1/4 cup cornmeal on the tops of the loaves. My experience, nearly all of it fell off. On my 2nd batch, I used to 2 tablespoons, which worked perfectly.