I was out of bread and out of oats. It could happen to anyone.
How can I make the weekly oatmeal-honey sandwich bread? What will
happen to lunch and snack time without the ever-appeasing grilled
cheese? I imagine my wailing family, Dickensean pleadings for bread,
and the bread box is bare.
Run to the store, you say? What’s the fun in that?
A quick peak into the cupboard reveals a brimming container of rolled
rye. (I keep these things on hand for making müesli.) Why not give it
a try?
Well, there must have been some magic in that old rolled rye I used—or
perhaps the right humidity from the fresh fallen snow and brief reprise
from winter’s deep-freeze . . . but something grand happened with this
loaf. It had just the right rise, just the right feel. It held its
shape, even puffed some more in the oven and proudly showed its lovely
golden dome, baked to perfection in a prompt 50 minutes.
It was splendid the first day, lightly buttered and still warm, along
side homemade soup; it sliced just right for sandwiches throughout the
week, with that lovely internal swirl, having been patted flat and
rolled like a snowball; and it was just as lovely transformed into
end-of-week French toast, adorned with a red robe of raspberry sauce
and flurries of confectioners’ sugar.
Some days are magical for baking; others are not. I’ll return to the
usual oatmeal version of our bread this week, for fear of being
disappointed if we get just an ordinary loaf. But next time I sense
that special feel in the air, when the temperature and humidity are
just right, we’ll see if the same bread arises from our rye. With a
little luck, that loaf will be back again someday.
Rolled Rye Sandwich Bread
1 c. water
1 c. rolled rye or old-fashioned oatmeal
1 c. whole milk
3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. honey
3 c. bread flour, plus extra for the counter
1 envelope (2 ¼ tsp.) instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 tsp. salt
Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the rye or oats
and cook until soft, about 1 minute, then allow to cool until just warm
to the touch. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, yeast and salt together in a
large bowl. Mix the melted butter, milk and honey together in a large
liquid measuring cup. Working by hand with a wooden spoon or with the
dough hook of a standing mixer add the milk mixture to the flour
mixture, mixing until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. If
using a mixer, continue to knead the dough on medium-low speed until
the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a lightly
floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball, about 1
minute. If kneading by hand, knead about ten minutes. Add in extra
flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Place the dough in
a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap or a damp
towel. Let rise is a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Turn the dough out and pat into a rectangle, about 9 inches on the
short sides. Roll the dough up into a tight cylinder and pinch the
seam closed. Place the loaf seam-side down in a greased 9-inch loaf
pan and cover tightly to rise again until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350
degrees. Bake the bread until golden, about 50 minutes. Turn the
bread out of the loaf pan right away onto a cooling rack. Allow the
bread to cool awhile before slicing.
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