Brown Bread (Bread Machine)
Every Saturday night, for my entire childhood we had molasses baked beans, fried bologna and brown bread. After many attempts to make my mother's brown bread I gave up. Kneading is a skill I have not mastered yet.
Then I recieved a bread machine from my sister in law. My mother insists that a machine can not replace the human hand when it comes to kneading, and in some cases I agree with her. However, I think I may have found an exception to that rule.
While searching for bread machine recipes I came across this recipe, which I tweaked to make taste more like Maritime Brown Bread. All I have to say is Molasses, Molasses and more Molasses.
From my kitchen to yours:
Bread Machine Brown Bread
Ingredients
3 cups flour (all purpose works fine) 1 package dry-active yeast 1 cup warm water 1/2 cup rolled oats, large flake
1/2 cup molasses 3 tablespoons of butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten
Directions
Add ingredients into the bowl of your bread machine per the manufacturer’s instructions.
For my bread machine I add all of the wet ingredients first.
Then in a seperate bowl I whisk together flour, oats, and salt and pour over top of wet ingredients. DO NOT MIX TOGETHER
Create a small indentation into the flour with my finger and pour yeast into hole, making sure it doesn't touch the wet ingredients.
I use my machine’s Basic Setting, select light crust and the 1.5 pound loaf option.
Press “Start” and in a couple hours you will have yummy sweet Brown Bread and your house will smell amazing.
When buzzer goes off on machine remove bucket and tip bread out on to a cooling rack
Brush top of the loaf with butter and enjoy
For original recipe visit Erin Cooks Website
If you are have strong hands and would like to try my Mom's homemade Molasses Brown Bread I wish you the best of luck and promise it will be worth every minute of kneeding that is required.
Ingredients
3 cups water, boiling
2 cups rolled oats, large flake
2/3 cup molasses
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup butter or shortening
2 pkgs dry active yeast
1 cup water, warm
6 ½ cups flour
Directions
Dissolve 2 tsp sugar in 1 cup lukewarm water.
Sprinkle active dry yeast into the sugar water and let rest for 10 minutes.
In large bowl mix together boiling water, oats, molasses, salt, 2 tbsp sugar and ¼ cup shortening.
Set aside and let cool to lukewarm.
Add 3 cups of flour to oat mixture and stir until combined
Add yeast and additional 3 ½ cups of flour.
Mix well
Knead bread dough well.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a warm damp cloth and set aside to rise for 1½ hours.
Punch down dough, shape into two large loves.
Place dough into lined and greased bread pans and let rise for another 45 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes
