honey oat bread - a recipe

Homemade bread is just the best thing to come out of my kitchen.  It smells great, is easy and is always appreciated.  We all love freshly made bread!! 

This recipe is based on one by Stacy from 'Stacy Makes Cents'.  I made modifications the first time I baked it.  I switched out the coconut oil and used stone ground flour and I changed the method for the way I bake bread (one bowl, dry ingredients first, then in with the wet, easy!!). 

It produced the best oat bread I have ever tasted.  It is so good, you must try it.  You don't need a bread maker or even bread tins.  This loaf can be cooked free form on a baking sheet.  It won't be as high as a sandwich loaf, but will still taste great.  What I am trying to say is... don't be scared of baking bread!!  Just give it a go... you'll be pleased you did!

First up, mix all the ingredients with a butter knife in a large bowl.  

Turn out onto the bench and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, for about 10 min or until you get tired!!

This is the dough looking smooth and elastic!!  It's not crumbly anymore and doesn't have bits falling off it.

Throw the dough back into the still doughy bowl.  Cover with a greased piece of cling wrap and leave for a couple of hours (somewhere warm) or overnight (somewhere cool), depending on when you want to bake the bread.

Knead it again for a few minutes and divide the dough in half. 
Put in prepared tins and let rise to loaf type size.
This is mine proving in second hand commercial bread tins.  Mum found them at an op shop for a bargain price.  The bread comes out so good in this tin as it is such a heavy weight construction.  As you can see, my loaves are just a bit too small for the tin size, but the loaves still come out great, they just don't fill up the tin all the way.

Cook in 180degC preheated oven for about 45min or until you have a golden crust on top and on bottom of the loaf.  Turn out of tins and cool on a wire rack.

Or if that process is all to much, just make it in the bread maker.  It produces a very acceptable loaf, if you don't have the time to knead and prove and all that.  I make about half of all my bread in the bread maker.  Sandwich loaves mostly are done in the machine and specialty breads in bread tins.

Despite the honey, this loaf is a savory bread.
It is great as sandwich bread and for serving with soups and stews.
I have had success with freezing this recipe, make one and freeze one for later.
Now, on with the recipe.


Honey Oat Bread
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups stone ground white flour
5 cups plain white flour
4 teaspoons yeast
2 cups water
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt

Mix oats, flours and yeast in a large bowl. 
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
Into the well add the water, oil, honey, eggs and salt.
Stir well with a butter knife until dough has come together.
Turn out and knead until smooth and elastic.
Return dough to bowl, spray with oil and cover with cling wrap.
Set aside to prove, until doubled in size, or a couple of hours, or all day or overnight. 
(Bread baking is a very flexible art!)
Punch down, knead and divide in two.
Shape into loaf forms and prove again in greased tins, for an hour or so.
When risen, bake at 180degC for 45min or until golden and sounds hollow when tapped on base.
Cool before cutting.


Do you bake your own bread?  What is your favorite recipe?