Oat Nut Bread
I adapted this recipe from one I found in the 1964 edition of Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking. The loaves come out with a thick, crunchy crust. It makes great toast and tastes so good by itself; we have stopped using preserves at breakfast time!
I adapted this recipe from one I found in the 1964 edition of Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking. The loaves come out with a thick, crunchy crust. It makes great toast and tastes so good by itself; we have stopped using preserves at breakfast time!
- Carbohydrate 35.14060375 g
- Cholesterol 2.54416666666667 mg
- Fat 5.016335 g
- Fiber 2.17793755744894 g
- Protein 5.40755208333333 g
- Saturated Fat 1.02096091666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (64g)
- Sodium 8.396 mg
- Sugar 32.9626661925511 g
- Trans Fat 0.402829666666667 g
- Calories 207 calories
Step-by-step
- Place oats, honey, butter, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Pour 2 cups of boiling water over them and stir well.
- Stir in 2 cups of flour.
- While this mixture cools, dissolve the dry yeast in 1/4 cup of 90-degree water.
- (I use the same cup I measured the honey in - the yeast loves the leftovers.)
- After about 10 minutes, stir the yeast mixture into the oat mixture, mixing thoroughly.
- Stir in 1 cup of pecans.
- Work in 2 cups of flour.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured board, and with floured hands, knead the dough for 8 - 10 minutes.
- Keep enough flour on the board and your hands to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk.
- Punch the dough down, and turn it out onto a floured board, this time kneading it for about 5 minutes.
- Shape the dough into two equal-sized loaves, place them in two greased loaf pans.
- Let the loaves rise, covered with a damp cloth, in a warm place until they have doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes.
- Turn out onto wire racks to cool.
- Let loaves cool completely before wrapping to store.
Standard sandwich bread relies on refined flour and milk for an airy, uniform crumb, but this rustic loaf builds structure from whole oats and broken pecans. Pouring two cups of boiling water directly over the steel-cut oats, butter, honey, and salt gelatinizes the starches, retaining moisture within the heavy grain matrix. Dissolving dry yeast in 90-degree water activates the fungi without thermal shock; monitoring this temperature prevents cellular damage before fermentation begins. Kneading the dough twice—first for eight to ten minutes, then for five minutes after the initial rise—develops the gluten strands necessary to support the dense weight of the nuts and grains. When shaping loaves, ensure uniform distribution in greased pans to promote even heat transfer during the 375-degree bake. Cool the finished loaves entirely on wire racks to prevent condensation from softening the exterior crust. Dietary modifications require careful attention to moisture ratios if substituting ingredients. Swapping honey for maple syrup maintains the liquid balance, while alternative gluten-free flours demand xanthan gum binders to mimic wheat elasticity. Serve thick slices alongside sharp cheddar cheese or salted butter, where the dense fat content contrasts effectively against the nutty crumb.
