Whole Wheat & Oat Yeast-Leavened Bread

Various Leavened Breads

By Cat, April 2009 (Photo right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Includes: 1. Whole Wheat & Oat Bread, Sponge Method; 2. Whole Wheat & Oat Bread, Presoak-Sponge Method

See also: 1. Bread Basics (Yeast-Leavened Breads); 2. Basic Yeast Bread; 3. Basic Yeast Bread, Presoak Sponge Method; 4. Bread & Rolls Menu; 5. Oat-Y-Licious Yeast-Leaened Bread

I love the idea of adding oatmeal to the bread. For the whole wheat flour, I prefer Wheat Montana Prairie Gold (2), or other hard-white flour such as King Arthur brand. I use Snoqualmie Falls brand rolled oats, or roll my own Montana oats.  It’s important to use old-fashioned (not quick cooking) oatmeal. The original recipe also calls for ½ cup wheat germ (for 2 loaves), but I don’t use this because it upsets my stomach.

If you have trouble with your bread, refer to Baking 911: Bread-101 and Problems pages (3, 4). 

 Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread, Sponge Method

This recipe is adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas (6), and the sponge method in the Tassajara Bread Book, by Edward Espe Brown (7). (See also a similar recipe on Epicurious (5); it does not include the overnight sponge.)

The Tassajara sponge method does not use the overnight pre-ferment that is in the recipe that follows, but rather mixes the oat and part of the flour with liquid and yeast for a sponge that rises over a few hours before the salt and remaining flour are added.

My adaptation uses part of the yeast for an overnight pre-ferment, then the rest of the yeast is added with the remaining flour on the next day. This gives more time for the acidic medium to work on the the anti-nutrients in the grain. I got the idea for splitting the yeast between two separate additions, from a new book: Flour Water Salt Yeast, by Ken Forkhish (1) of Ken’s Bakery in Portland OR where I used to live. However, Ken uses much less total yeast, about 1/2 tsp for 2 loaves.

Full recipe makes 2 standard sized loaves, but I adapted it to a single-loaf version.

Cool Spot for Sponge; Warm Spot for Rise:

Cold spot should be about 65° – 70°F. You don’t want it to be cold, just not warm as for the later rise (80° – 85°F).

1. For cold spot, I place my bowl of sponge inside a lightly dampened plastic bag, cover it with a cotton cloth, and set it on my kitchen counter, away from drafts.
2. For warm spot, I place bowl on a rack, on top of my stove with pilot lights, which maintains 85° – 90°F during the day.  The rack allows air to circulate under the bowl so the dough does not get too hot. Or you can use your oven preheated to its lowest setting, then allowed to cool (if necessary) to about 100°F; it will continue to cool to optimum temperature. (See Basic Yeast Bread for more detail).

Half Recipe (1 loaf)

Equipment:

• glass measuring cup
• large bread bowl
• heavy duty wooden spoon
• board for kneading
• cotton dish towel (for covering the bowl)
• 2 standard size loaf pans (or 1 if making single loaf)
• cooling rack

Part 1 (pre-ferment): 

• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• ½ Tbsp dry yeast (or ½ packet)
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1 ½ – 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 ½ – 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup rolled oats

Scald milk; add butter & honey. Let cool to lukewarm.

Proof yeast in water mixed with sweetener. Add cooled milk and oats. Add flour and stir to blend, then beat 100 strokes, until dough forms a very soft ball.  Let rise overnight, covered, in a cool spot on your cupboard.

Part 2 (knead, shape & bake):

• ½ Tbsp dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp warm water
• ½ Tbsp Unrefined sea salt
• ¾ – 1 ½ cups additional whole grain or unbleached white flour (use white flour for kneading)

Hydrate yeast: Sprinkle yeast over water and let it dissolve.

Mix dough: Sprinkle salt and hydrated yeast over dough and give it a stir. Add additional flour as necessary, ½ cup at a time.  Knead until smooth & elastic. 

First rise 1 – 2 hours until doubled in bulk. See Basic Yeast Bread for “Warm spot for rise” and “Two-finger test for rise.” 

Second rise: Punch down, turn over, & rise again, 1 – 1 ¼ hours (2-finger test).  Punch down; let rest 10 min. before shaping. Preheat oven to 375°F, just before shaping loaf(s).

Shape loaf: Grease or butter pan(s).  Optional: sprinkle some rolled oats over bottom of pan.  Place shaped loaf, seam-side down, in pan.

Final rise: Rise again 30 – 45 minutes while oven preheats.

Bake: Brush risen loaf with egg wash, and sprinkle rolled oats over the top, if desired. (opt).  Bake 50-60 minutes.  Bread should read 190° –  210° on an instant read thermometer stuck into the middle of the loaf, when done. Or turn loaf out of pan and tap on bottom, listening for hollow sound.  If not done, return to pan and return pan to oven.

Cool on rack; may brush with melted butter while still warm.

Testing: Not Yet Tested

Whole Wheat-Oatmeal Bread: Yeast Rise with Presoak-Sponge Method

This version is adapted from the recipe above, using my learnings from regular whole grain bread using the sponge method. Oatmeal, especially, benefits nutritionally from the overnight soak with wheat, because oats don’t have as much phytase enzyme as wheat, for breaking down the phytates (to make the minerals more available).

For the presoak, I use my own homemade plain unsweetened yogurt, but you can use commercial plain unsweetened yogurt; just be sure it says “contains live cultures” which help with the fermentation of the soaking flour mixture, to improve nutritional content. You could also use buttermilk.

Because the acidic presoak breaks down much of the gluten, more gluten must be added after the presoak, or the bread will not rise much.

Half Recipe (1 loaf)

Equipment:

• glass measuring cup
• large bread bowl
• heavy duty wooden spoon
• stand mixer fitted with dough hook and batter blade (optional)
• board for kneading
• cotton dish towel (for covering the bowl)
• 2 standard size loaf pans (or 1 if making single loaf)
• cooling rack

Part 1 (pre-soak):

• ⅓ cup yogurt
• ⅓ cup boiling water
• ⅓ cup scalded milk
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup rolled oats

Mix yogurt & boiling water; scald milk; allow both to cool to 110°F, then add milk to the yogurt mixture. Mix in flour and oats.

Rest: Work into a ball; let sit in covered, oiled bowl overnight in a warm place.

Part 2 (sponge): 

• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 1 ½ Tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp gluten

Proof yeast in water mixed with sweetener.

Mix sponge: knead ball of dough a bit to work in the dry crust.  Add proofed yeast mixture; mix to combine; add gluten, then beat 100 strokes, until dough forms a very soft ball.  Let rest 45 minutes.

Part 3 (knead, shape & bake):

• 1 ½ tsp Unrefined sea salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp butter. melted
• ½ – 1 cup additional whole grain or white flour (use unbleached white flour for kneading)
• ½ tsp baking soda

Mix dough: Fold in salt & butter, sift ¼ cup flour with baking soda and stir into dough.  Then add additional flour as necessary, ¼ cup at a time. 

Knead until smooth & elastic.  First rise 1 – 2 hours (2-finger test). 

Second Rise: Punch down, turn over, & rise again, 1 – 1 ¼ hours (2-finger test).  Punch down; let rest 10 min. before shaping.

Shape: Preheat oven to 375°F, just before shaping loaf(s).  Grease or butter pan(s).  Optional: sprinkle some rolled oats over bottom of pan.  Knead lightly and shape for pan. Place shaped loaf, seam-side down, in pan, then sprinkle rolled oats over the top, if desired.

Final rise: 30 – 45 minutes while oven preheats.  Brush with egg wash (opt).

Bake 50-60 minutes.  Bread should read 190° –  210°F on an instant read thermometer stuck into the middle of the loaf, when done. Or turn loaf out of pan and tap on bottom, listening for hollow sound.  If not done, return to pan and return pan to oven.

Cool on rack; may brush with melted butter while still warm.

Testing:

4/29/09:  Made single loaf. A bit difficult stirring the yeast mixture into the soaked flour; used mixer fitted with dough hook for this, then stirred & kneaded by hand afterward.  Dough rises well and easily.  It wants to take up more flour than I want to give it (to keep it from being too heavy).  It fell a bit during first part of baking, but not too much; this could be because I let it rise too long before baking, or it could need a hotter oven temperature (400° – 450°F). Result:  light texture, wonderful flavor.  But because it fell slightly during early baking, the top crust separates from the main loaf.

References

1. Flour Water Salt Yeast, by Ken Forkhish of Ken’s Bakery in Portland OR
   
6. The Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas
7. Tassajara Bread Book, by Edward Espe Brown.