More Wheaten Bread

Yes, I know, I spend my life trying new ways with this loaf. It probably gets a little boring but when I shuffle the ingredients once again and there is a good final product, I feel compelled to share it. This was good...........very good. Nice moist dark crumb (that's what bread geeks call the inside of the loaf) lovely golden oatie crust. If you are into healthy eating well it's full of oats and you could of course replace the  maple syrup with honey or leave out the sugary stuff altogether but there's no fun in that. On the subject of fun don't forget when it comes out of the oven cut a big piece and cover it thickly in butter. Use your other hand to catch the drips while you cram it in your mouth. Just tell your arteries to be quiet.

Oatie Wheaten Bread

Pre heat your oven to 200.C/180.C Fan/400.F/Gas 6

Grease and flour a large loaf tin or a round sandwich tin or just a baking sheet and form the loaf by hand.

350gms/12oz wholemeal/whole wheat flour
100gms/4oz oats/oatmeal + a handful for topping
200mls buttermilk or ordinary milk soured with lemon juice + 50mls milk just in case you need it
50g/2oz butter
1egg beaten
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 heaped teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

Place the oats, butter, salt and maple syrup in a bowl.
Heat the milk in the microwave or a saucepan until quite warm.
Pour onto the oat mixture and leave for half an hour stirring occasionally. Do not be tempted to skip this and throw the dry oats into the mixture.............trust me you will just get a very dense loaf.
Now stir in half of the beaten egg, the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. You should have a spongy slightly sticky mix.
Don't worry about rushing this bit. I have found that the dough sitting around for a few minutes is quite beneficial

Spoon the dough into your prepared loaf tin/sandwich tin
If forming by hand, flour your hands well and form the dough into a round on your baking sheet. If your dough seems a little soft for that just add a little flour to the mix.....simple.

Brush some of the beaten egg over the top then sprinkle generouly with oats. Now splodge the rest of the egg over that.

Using a sharp knife draw a deepish crevice the full length if the tin. If you are doing a circular loaf cut a deep cross. It's to let the fairies out...........yes it is.

Now bake for 30-40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. If it is getting a little too brown place a tin foil hat over the loaf after it has formed a skin.
Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool.

Don't forget to cut that thick warm slice and butter it.
Enjoy

PS If anyone knows anything about white balance in cameras give me a call.