In the last few weeks, I’ve been wondering what kind of recipes would be most helpful to readers. When I posed the question in Instagram stories, I got an overwhelming amount of excitement about homemade bread recipes.
Bread baking is one of my passions, but I still think of myself as a student, rather than an expert who’s in a position to share. Everything I know, I’ve learned from reading other people’s books, and it’s still rare that I come up with recipes of my own.
Does this make me a good person to write about bread, or a totally unqualified one? Maybe both 🙂 On the one hand, I learn about making bread every single time I do it, and I’m never totally sure my experiments will turn out (they often don’t!). On the other hand, it can be nice to learn from peers, rather than pros. And if nothing else, I’m so passionate about homemade bread that it’s starting to feel ridiculous not to share.
With all of that said, I’ve got a lovely, simple homemade bread recipe for you this week: maple oatmeal bread. Made especially tender and wholesome with Sprouted Rolled Oats from One Degree Organics.
One Degree Organics is my go-to source for wholesome cereals, oats, and flours that are not only vegan, but also organic and grown without animal-based fertilizer. The brand’s oats, which come in quick oat, steel cut oat and rolled oat forms, are also free of glyphosate, an herbicide that may have implications for health. You can check out more on the brand’s glyphosate policy—and read all about its values and commitment to transparency, on the One Degree website.
One Degree’s tender rolled oats lend themselves beautifully to this bread. I created it specifically with sandwiches and toast in mind. As much as I love the airy and open crumb of sourdough, I love a good sandwich and toasting bread, with moist, tight crumb. It ensures that jam, vegan butter, hummus, and other tasty fillings stay put!
The process for making this bread is pretty simple, as far as bread recipes go. I recommend reading the whole recipe before getting started, taking your time, and enjoying the process. The recipe is up on the One Degree Organics website, but I’ll walk you through the process in photos here:
1. Mix your oats, flour, salt, yeast, butter, milk, water, and maple syrup into a sticky dough.
2. Knead till elastic and relatively smooth (the oats in the dough won’t allow it to be soft like a baby’s bottom, as is often the cue for knowing when bread has been adequately kneaded, but the bread dough should feel tender and able to stretch). Place it in an oiled bowl and cover.
3. Allow the dough to rise 45-60 minutes, or until it’s about doubled in size.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface, shape into a rectangle, and roll into a log, tucking the ends in gently. It should be about 4” x 8”. Transfer the dough to a greased 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan.
5. Allow it to rise again for 30-45 minutes, or until it has risen about an inch and a half above the rim of the loaf pan.
6. About 15 minutes after the bread begins its second rise, preheat your oven to 350. When the second rise is finished, lightly brush the bread with vegan egg wash topping and sprinkle with rolled oats. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the loaf pan in the oven so that the bread bakes evenly. Return it to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until the whole top is a deep golden brown.
7. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the bread from the loaf pan. Allow it to cool on a cooling rack for at least 2-3 hours, or until fully cooled, before slicing and enjoying!
Maple syrup is fantastic over cooked oatmeal, so it didn’t surprise me at all that it makes this bread just the right amount of sweet. I also love the bread’s golden crust, the dusting of oats on top, and the fact that it’s equally good eaten just the way it is (so tender) or toasted.
You can head on over to the One Degree Organics website for the whole recipe. Happy baking, friends!
xo
This post is sponsored by One Degree Organics. All opinions are my own. Thanks for your support!
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