Oatmeal Bread

I found this recipe while looking through the King Arthur Flour site. Of course, after I printed and saved the recipe, I noticed it was the recipe featured on the back of the bread flour I bought!  :)))   I have mentioned before how much I really like King Arthur flours.  I can't explain exactly why, but they seem to make my baked goods come out just that much better.  I guess it's like they say, your end product will only be as good as the ingredients you put in.  This is why I only use real, unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract, freshly grated nutmeg from the "nut" form, and use King Arthur flours. 

I know breadmaking isn't for everyone.  I enjoy it and feel somewhat challenged by it.  But I will agree, you have to have the time for it.  This recipe is very easy to make with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and involves very little work by hand. It is a high rising and a very tender bread.   At first, I wasn't going to add golden raisins to it, but at the last moment, I decided to do it, and am I glad I did.  I can take or leave raisins, but in this bread, they offered a burst of sweetness, I really liked.  If your bread is sliced into 16 slices, each slice will be 3 points. ( 4 pointsplus ) 

Oatmeal Bread from King Arthur Flour

Servings - 16 slices     Serving size - 1 slice    Points per svg - 3 points   PointsPlus per svg - 4 points+

Calories - 160.6,  Total Fat - 2.3g,  Carb - 31.6,  Protein - 4.0g,  Fiber - 1.4g

3 cups  (12 3/4 oz.) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

1 cup  ( 3 1/2 oz) old fashioned rolled oats

2 TBS. (1 oz.)  butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 TBS honey

2 tsp instant yeast or 1 package active dry yeast*

1 1/4 cup lukewarm skim or 1% milk

3/4 cup golden raisins ( optional )

1/4 cup oats for coating loaf

1.  Take a 2 or 4 cup glass measuring cup and heat up the milk in the microwave to about 100 degrees F.  ( about 1 minute in my microwave, but microwaves vary in power, so just check the milk with an instant read thermometer to be sure, if it's much over 100 degrees let it cool OR you could heat the milk up in a small saucepan)  *If you are using the active dry yeast package, add the yeast to the milk and stir to dissolve the yeast.  

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fit with a dough hook, add all the dry ingredients, except raisins.  To the milk/yeast mixture, add the butter and honey.  Turn mixer on to combine dry ingredients and slowly pour the milk mixture in while mixer is running on low speed.  Mix until dough gets shaggy looking, and then allow machine to knead it for 5 minutes on med speed until smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Add the raisins, and allow the mixture to knead for a minute or so longer, to incorporate the raisins. 

3. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with lid or plastic wrap to rest for about 1 hour.  The dough will become quite puffy, though it may not double in size.  

4. Shaping:  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface and shape into a log.  Roll the log in the 1/4 cup oats to coat the outside.  Place in a lightly greased 9 x 5 " loaf pan,  cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and place in a warm area to rise for 1 to 1/2 hrs. or until it's crested 1" to 2" over the rim of the pan.

5. Baking:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190 degrees F.  

Cool on rack before slicing for at least an hour....( this is the hardest part! )   

When sliced into 16 slices, each slice will be 3 points. ( 4 pointsplus ) 

I am pretty sure I will be making this bread for our Thanksgiving table.  I think it is a perfect compliment to turkey with it's nice sweetness.  It also toasts beautifully.

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