Delicious hearty bread made using the Cold Rise Method
- Carbohydrate 81.1330464268853 g
- Cholesterol 53.795 mg
- Fat 14.2157145980892 g
- Fiber 3.62295100131339 g
- Protein 12.7204723239452 g
- Saturated Fat 7.80330565000646 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (157g)
- Sodium 97.407031863288 mg
- Sugar 77.5100954255719 g
- Trans Fat 1.4883821423685 g
- Calories 504 calories
Step-by-step
- In a mixer bowl, mix yeast with brown sugar. Combine milk and melted butter together, test to make sure it is not too warm (I should warm to the touch but not hot, about 110 degrees) Add to yeast/sugar, stir, and let rest for 15 minutes. If mixture foams, it is proofed and you're good to go.
- Add oatmeal, molasses and beaten egg and mix well. Add 2 cups flour, salt and begin mixing, adding flour in 1/2 cup increments until a sticky dough ball forms.
- Scrape out onto lightly floured board, sprinkle with flour over the top, and knead briefly for a couple of minutes.
- Place into greased bowl, turn over, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight, not to exceed 24 hours.
- Remove from bowl onto lightly floured board, punch down and shape into loaf shape. Place in the center of bread pan, and place in a warm area. (I usually heat the oven to 200 degrees briefly, turn off the heat, and just place the bread in there)
- Leave the bread alone until it has come to room temperature and risen to twice it's size.
- Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, and then bake in 5 minute increments until the top is browned, and sounds hollow when tapped with your finger.
- Let cool before removing from bread pan.
Standard white sandwich loaves rely on rapid ambient fermentation, but this variation uses a cold retardation method that transforms the crumb structure entirely. Keeping the shaped or mixed dough chilled for up to 24 hours encourages slow enzymatic activity, which builds complex organic acids and strengthens gluten strands without over-proofing. Warm liquids must remain strictly at 110 degrees Fahrenheit during initial yeast hydration to prevent thermal shock, as excessive heat kills the active cultures instantly. Molasses introduces heavy residual sugars and organic compounds that retain moisture within the flour matrix, creating a dense, tender interior that resists staling far longer than conventional quick-rise breads.
Combining milk and melted butter requires careful temperature monitoring before introducing the dry active yeast and brown sugar. Allowing this liquid mixture to rest for precisely 15 minutes provides a reliable visual proofing indicator; active foam confirms viable yeast colonies before expensive flour gets added. Incorporating bread flour incrementally in half-cup portions prevents structural overload, ensuring the sticky dough ball absorbs hydration evenly without becoming unworkably stiff. Kneading on a floured board for two minutes aligns the protein networks, establishing the foundational elasticity required to trap expanding carbon dioxide gases during subsequent baking phases.
Refrigerating the greased bowl overnight slows microbial reproduction while allowing continuous gluten relaxation. Punching down the chilled mass releases trapped gas pockets and redistributes yeast cells evenly before secondary shaping into standard loaf pans. Placing the formed loaf inside an ambient oven preheated briefly to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and then powered off creates an ideal proofing microclimate. Monitoring the final rise visually guarantees the dough doubles in volume safely without premature structural collapse from ambient drafts.
Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit requires twenty initial minutes of heat exposure followed by precise five-minute increments. Tapping the browned crust provides a reliable auditory cue; a distinctly hollow resonance indicates complete interior starch gelatinization and moisture evaporation. Allowing the baked loaf to cool completely inside the metal pan stabilizes the crumb structure, preventing tearing or compression when slicing with a serrated blade.
