Friday, August 2, 2013

Quick Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

How about one more recipe today, shall we?

Bread. Piping hot, just out of the oven bread.

I have a great respect for bakers, you know, the pros that spend years crafting their recipes and fine tuning them to perfection. There is so much pride and care taken for each baguette and roll. And pretty breads are amazing, but I really love the look of rustic bread. I just imagine that is what the bread looked like coming out of my ancestors' ovens or hearths. This bread is like that.

I also have a fascination and love for Mark Bittman. He's professional, practical and doesn't sweat the small stuff. Of course, I don't know him personally, but I like his 'no fear' approach to cooking. Baking is no exception. If you have a fear of yeast, don't. :) But if you're still afraid, don't worry-this bread requires NO yeast. And it's Mark's recipe that I hardly altered. Let's bake some awesome bread.

Ever use these products? I used this flour and am excited that it's a local company!


Quick Whole Wheat Molasses Bread
Hardly adapted from Mark Bittman
This hearty bread is a bit crisp on the outside and soft and spongy on the inside. It is great for sandwiches, toasted with nut butter, or even as a side for soups or cheeses. Whether or not you are a molasses lover, you will hearily enjoy this bread.

*Takes 15 minutes or less to prepare + 1 hour to bake*

Oil or butter for the pan
1 2/3 cups buttermilk or yogurt or 1 1/2 cups milk and 2 tablespoons white vinegar (see Step 2)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup molasses

Step 1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8- × 4-inch or 9- × 5-inch loaf pan.

Step 2. If you’re using buttermilk or yogurt, ignore this step. Otherwise, make soured milk: Warm the milk gently to take the chill off—1 minute in the microwave is sufficient—and add the vinegar. Let it rest while you prepare the other ingredients.


Step 3. Mix together the dry ingredients. Stir the molasses into the buttermilk. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients (just enough to combine), then pour into the loaf pan. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.



Happy eating!
Laurel

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