Nourishing Corn Oat Bread

Corn Oat Bread

Making bread is a nourishing experience. Gathering ingredients - grains and yeast from the earth and air, salt from the sea, honey from bees. Putting it all together in new ways, a little of this and a little of that.  Wondering what some pumpkin seeds might add.  What about some raisins or chopped dried apricots?

Each time it is creation anew.

Making bread is a bit like gardening or like making baskets.  You gather up the seeds (or the fabrics).  You think about structure, color, texture.  Then you plant and watch as something often unexpected and lovely emerges.

It is nourishing.

Today I nourished myself with a new recipe - Corn Oat Bread.  You might think it a bit odd to put corn and oats together.  Corn meal tends to be crunchy and oats tend to be chewy.  But, it makes a great combination.  The bread comes out with a wonderful crunchy crust outside and an delicious chewy inside.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups liquid (I used 1/4 cup yogurt and 1 1/4 cup water.)
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour (or all purpose white flour)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I like rough cut.)
• 1/2 cup corn meal (I like it coarsely ground.)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
• 1/4 cup seed mixture for crust (This can be anything you have - sesame seeds, oats, sunflower seeds, etc.)

My favorite duo!

Preparation:

Using your electric mixer with a paddle attachment or your bread machine, combine the ingredients – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out into a floured surface, give it a good kneading - a couple minutes - and then place it greased bowl.  Leave it to rise once more.

Waiting for a second rise

Now preheat your oven to 200 C (or approximately 390 F).

Once the dough has doubled again, pour it out onto the seed mixture.  Gently roll it over the mixture.  The seeds stick to the dough and create a lovely pattern.

Rolling in the seeds

Place the dough on to a baking sheet, and cover with a damp towel.  Let it rise another 15 minutes.

Now for the final rise

Once the dough has risen about 50 percent more, place it in the oven.  Baking time will be between 30 and 35 minutes.

Ready for the oven!

The bread is ready when it turns a lovely earthy brown and the seeds are nicely toasted.

Toasty brown and ready to eat

If you like a crusty and chewy bread, one that is on the heavy side, give this a try.  Oh yum!

Here's to nourishment.