morning bake

I have been doing a lot of baking before work or in the morning.  It has to do with the heat of the day, how long I like to let flavours develop, and just timing.  My morning bake today was requested to be made again immediately.  The bread is over half gone.  That is what I get for having boyos around.  Especially ones named Koda Bear.

Yesterday, there was milk for tea or milk for bread without going to the store.  Since I did not wish to leave the house, it was milk for tea.  Hot black tea with milk and sugar as Koda Bear says.  The sugar is only a sometimes.  Usually sugar in tea takes the place of eating something sweet for me.  But that meant, no milk for bread.  And I am finding that there are too many people!  Going to the store is people!

I took my everyday bread and added oatmeal, brown sugar, and an egg since Koda Bear likes double jam sandwiches.  If he is going to try to survive on double jam sandwiches, I am going to try to sneak protein in him.  The funny thing is that he likes double jam sandwiches but the peanut butter on a spoon.  Not on the jam sandwich!  This bread was light and moist and requested again before it had a chance to cool.  

Yeasty Beasties have been fed so they can start making bread again tonight.  No wonder I go through flour like I do!

oatmeal bread

sourdough starter

100 grams flour (or about 1/2 cup)

100 grams water (or about 1/3 cup)

1 cup or 240 grams water

1 cup or 100 grams old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 - 1/2 cup (55 to 110 grams) packed brown sugar  (I think I used the larger measurement, but to your taste)

1 egg

1 teaspoon or 10 grams salt

2 to 4 cups or 500 grams flour (500 grams and 4 cups measure are too much flour, but I have a bear helper.  Flour goes everywhere!)

In a large bowl eight hours before, mix the sourdough starter, 100 grams flour, and 100 grams water.  Cover with cling wrap.  I have gone to cling wrap because it has been so hot here that the starter has been forming a skin on top.  This keeps the skin off.  Parchment paper or waxed paper would work as well.

When the starter is nice and bubbly, and you can see gluten strands, remove a couple tablespoons for next time.  Mix in the 240 grams water, oats, brown sugar, and egg if you are using it.  Mix in 2 cups or 250 grams flour.  This should be a thick dough.  Cover and let rise for a couple of hours.

Mix in the salt and enough of the rest of the flour to make a slightly stiff dough.  Knead the dough until smooth.  I found the best description of  my kneading as a rolling and tucking motion unless I have help.  Kneading for me until it is smooth takes about five minutes or less.  

Cover and let rise for about an hour.  After the hour, take the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.  Flatten the dough.  Fold into thirds.  Fold the long ends towards the center.  I form it a bit more into a ball and put back in the bowl.  Cover.

Repeat the above step three more times.

Butter a loaf pan.  Line with parchment paper.  Uncover the dough and shape into a loaf.  Put in the pan.  Cover with cling wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, turn the oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  Remove the cling wrap.  Put is in the oven for one hour.  It is done when the loaf is golden and hollow sounding when thunked on the bottom.

Koda Bear did not even ask for jam.  Butter please!