Oatmeal Molasses Bread With Cranberries and Walnuts

This is a soft, satisfying yeast based bread, a slice of which goes well in the mornings with coffee. Makes great sandwiches when spread with butter and eaten with the filling of choice. It's not a very sweet bread and has a really good texture and taste. Having the beneficial properties of oats in it does help as well to make you feel less guilty about eating bread. The preparation time is long due to the multiple risings the bread needs to develop it's texture, and flour measurements to end up with the right feel to the dough, will vary. However, the recipe is a forgiving one, and produces two standard sized loaves that may be sliced and frozen for future use. Although I prefer it with the yogurt, and egg as they make the texture of the bread softer and more moist, but both may be omitted for people with allergies to these products.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup molasses

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups boiling water

1 (1/4-ounce ) package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

5 to 6 cups bread flour

½ cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

¼ cup yogurt

1 egg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup wholewheat flour, oats, cranberries, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, molasses, salt, and butter.
2. Pour the boiling water over the top and mix.
3. Let cool to lukewarm (approx. 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I measure with a thermometer).
4. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow to proof
5. When the liquid mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add the yeast mixture, egg and yogurt. Mix using a stand mixer with a dough hook.
6. Add enough bread flour to make an elastic dough and knead thoroughly until smooth. It is hard to give an exact estimate of the flour but the end result is a dough that is smooth, elastic, dry to touch, and forms a ball around the dough hook while cleaning the sides of the bowl. It should not stick to the side of the bowl.
7. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn once so it’s greased lightly on top.
8. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper and put to rise until double (about 2 hours).
9. Punch the dough down, then re-cover and let rise again until nearly double (about 90 minutes). Divide the dough evenly into 2 halves and shape into loaves.
10. Place each loaf in a greased loaf pan, cover, and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise again until nearly double (about 90 minutes).
11. Bake in a 350°F oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the loaves are nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped.