Torrejon Oatmeal Bread

This is a great hearty bread to go with soup, or to use as toast. It’s easy to make and even freezes well.

Step: 1

In a large saucepan, heat the water, oatmeal and salt until it bubbles. Add the brown sugar and shortening; stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.

Step: 2

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Step: 3

In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, oats mixture and 2 cups flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Step: 4

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step: 5

Bake in preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until loaf tops are golden brown and the bottom of a loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Per Serving: 207 calories; protein 6g; carbohydrates 40.2g; fat 2.4g; sodium 294mg.

The quality of the flour could make a real deal to your bread. Different brands do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are bet higher in gluten, may give you a better rise than standard dough flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal bread , which doesn’t always rise as well as white bread.

To made this in a dough , add all the ingredients to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A dough’s first rising can be done in the fridge 24 hours . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can start it night before , then finish it off the next day.