Oatmeal Batter Bread

My mom sent me a whole bunch of batter bread recipes this week - thanks, Mom! Batter breads are kind of a cross between a quick bread and a yeast bread - they use yeast, but they come together really quickly, require no kneading, and usually only have one short rise rather than the standard two. So they're pretty easy, and relatively quick to make. I made a dill one a few weeks ago from James Beard's Beard on Bread, and it was delicious. But that's neither here nor there. The selection of recipes that Mom sent had four recipes, including one for a beer bread that is essentially just beer and flour. I was torn between making that one and the one that I ended up making, but decided to go the oatmeal route since I am planning on using the bread for my lunch this week and beer bread seems like it would be a better soup bread than lunch bread. Anyway.

Oatmeal bread - yum!

Oatmeal bread is the best! (James Beard has a great oatmeal bread recipe, too. Lest this post become a James Beard fan fest, I'll just state that the recipe is delicious but makes three loaves which is definitely two more than I need.) Anyway, oatmeal bread is a nice change of pace from other breads. I like that it's slightly sweet and nutty, and also pretty healthy since the oatmeal is a whole grain. This particular recipe uses a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, as well as the old-fashioned rolled oats. I went a little crazy and added some cornmeal to the bottom of the pan to give the bottom crust a crunch, and sprinkled some wheat germ on the top (though the recipe suggests using more oatmeal for this).

Right before adding the whole wheat flour and oatmeal - so runny.

Some oatmeal breads have you cook the oatmeal before you use it, but this one doesn't. For this one, you proof the yeast in warm milk and brown sugar, then add the white flour, an egg, and some oil, and mix for a minute or so until it's all combined. The batter is still pretty sticky at this point. Then you add in the whole wheat flour and the oatmeal and stir to combine. The oatmeal starts to soak up all the excess liquid, and the dough becomes pretty stiff rather quickly. It's still more sticky than a regular yeast bread - you could never knead this without adding a few cups more flour - so it's good that all you have to do with it at this point is scrape it into a prepared loaf pan and let it rise.

Ready to rise!

It ended up taking a little longer to rise than expected - which could be because it's still pretty cold outside and I didn't warm up my oven beforehand - but it did rise eventually. It smelled pretty good while baking. I haven't cut into it yet since it's late and I'm planning on using it for my lunch, so I'll update this tomorrow with the assessment.

Fresh out of the oven!

**update**
Now that I've eaten it, I can tell you that this oatmeal bread is a good, if slightly sweet, loaf. I bet you it will toast well, too, but I haven't tried that yet. It's a bit crumbly, especially as it starts to get a little dried out, but it's still good and the oatmeal gives it a nice texture. I'd maybe reduce the amount of sugar a tad - maybe 2 Tbsp instead of a full quarter cup. It could also be that the sugar flavor is more pronounced since I used dark brown sugar instead of light, but I still think it's a tad sweet. Regardless, I'd say for the amount of effort you have to put in to make it (close to none), it's a pretty good result.

Oatmeal Batter Bread
From Better Homes and Gardens, via a newspaper clipping from Mom

1 cup warm whole or 2 percent milk (105-115 degrees) - I used skim because that's what I've got.
1/4 cup honey or brown sugar (I think molasses would work, too)
1 packet yeast
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned or steel-cut oats (not quick oats)
Extra oatmeal or wheat germ for garnish
cornmeal for the bottom of your pan (I added that)

Combine the milk, honey or sugar, and the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir until the yeast has dissolved. Let rest for five minutes.

Grease an 8x4 loaf pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle cornmeal on the bottom if you're feeling crazy.

Add the all-purpose flour, egg, oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Beat on low speed until combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to high and beat for three minutes. Dough will be very sticky.

Use a wooden spoon to stir in the whole wheat flour and oats until well incorporated; this will take some arm strength (that is straight from the recipe. I didn't think it was that hard, but I have been hitting the weights more at the gym). Transfer the batter to the loaf pan, spreading evenly. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for at least an hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the pan, and sprinkle with oatmeal if desired. Bake for about 15 minutes, and then loosely tent with tin foil. Bake for 20-25 more minutes or until loaf sounds hollow. It won't be very brown because you covered it with the foil. Uncover, and let cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.