Kelsey's Honey Oat Bread

It has been the dreariest week of the year in Middlebury. It's been snowy, rainy, icy, and grey. I feel tired and overworked. Boo. Determined to cheer myself up for the weekend, I decided to bake some bread this afternoon after class.

This honey oat bread is one of the first breads I baked with Kelsey. It's wonderfully fluffy, soft, and sweet. It's great with just a bit of butter and honey, but it's also satisfying as sandwich bread.




Kelsey's Honey Oat Bread (yields 2 loaves)

- 1 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup oats
- 1/3 cup honey
- about a tablespoon salt, maybe slightly less
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- about 5 cups flour

1. Mix the yeast, 1/4 cup of water, and a squirt or two of honey to wake up the yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until it bubbles and froths.

2. Mix in the remaining water, honey, oil, and salt.

3. Add the flour one cup at a time. When the mixture is too thick to stir with a spoon, start incorporating the flour with your hands. Massage your dough! It feels nice. The dough has taken enough flour once it comes together to form a ball and is neither sticky nor dry.

4. Kneading time! Knead your bread until it's smooth, soft, and springy to the touch. For a denser bread, shorten the kneading time. If you want a very fluffy bread, knead for ten minutes or longer (or until you are bored). You now have a bread baby!

5. Put the bread baby in a large, greased bowl. Make sure the bread baby is nicely oiled so it doesn't dry out. Let the bread baby rise in the bowl covered with a clean dish towel, preferably in a warm place.

6. Allow the bread baby to double in size. Cut it in two and form the dough into two loaves in greased loaf pans. Cover the pans and let the bread proof for about an hour, or until it has risen slightly above the edge of the pan.

7. Bake the loaves at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, or until the loaves make a hollow sound when tapped. Place them on cooling racks and enjoy! I chose to drizzle mine with honey.




Peace, love, and honey oat bread,

Morgan