Bread update

The bread turned out rather well.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread -one 8 x 4-inch loaf

• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened oat bran cereal
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 and 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, oat bran, brown sugar, yeast, salt and cinnamon.

In a small saucepan, heat the water and butter until warm (105 degrees F to 115), then gradually stir the water mixture into the flour mixture.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Lightly oil an 8 x 4 inch pan.

On the lighlty floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12 x 7 inch rectangle. Beginning at the short end, roll up tightly as for a jellyroll. Pinch the seam and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in the prepared pan. Cover the pan with the dish towel and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

From Bob's Red Mill Baking Book, page 90.

Instead of unsweetened oat bran cereal I used Raisin Bran (more or less attempting to avoid adding in raisins) and reduced the brown sugar to about one and a half tablespoons. And instead of heating the water and butter in a saucepan, I just let the tap water heat up until steamy, added the butter and stirred until it melted and let it cool to the point where it was still quite warm, but didn't hurt to stick my finger in it.

Also, who waits until the bread is cool to taste-test? Especially the first time through a recipe? I know I don't have that patience and rather enjoy my bread still warm from the oven. :-) It has a nice dense grainy texture and a good, slightly crunchy crust. Yummy. The cinnamon isn't overpowering and it's not particularly sweet.