BREADS - CRANBERRY OATMEAL NUT BREAD

Makes two 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaves

2 cups boiling water

1 ½ cups rolled oats, plus additional for sprinkling

1 ½ cups dried cranberries (or raisins)

2 tablespoon active dry yeast or 2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast

½ cup warm water (105F to 115F)

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

¼ cup vegetable oil

4 ½ to 5 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 large egg beaten with 1tablespoon cold water, for the egg wash

Pour the boiling water over the rolled oats and dried cranberries.  Stir, cover, and let cool for about 45 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the warm water.

Add the brown sugar, salt, oil, 2 cups of the flour, the walnuts, and the cooled oats and cranberries to the yeast.  Beat vigorously with a dough whisk or heavy-handled spoon for 2 minutes.

Gradually add more of the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough forms a mass and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.  Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. 

Knead, adding more flour, a little at a time as necessary, until you have an elastic dough and blisters begin to develop on the surface [about 7 to 9 minutes].

Put the dough into an oiled bowl.  Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil.  Cover with a tightly women kitchen towel and let rise for a bout 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide it in half.  Shape into loaves. 

Fit the loaves, seam sides down, into well-greased loaf pans.  Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes. 

About 15 minutes before the end of rising, preheat the oven to 375F.

Just before baking, brush egg wash over the top of each loaf, taking care not to let it drip onto the pans, and sprinkle with rolled oats.  Bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes or until they are borwned and shrink slightly from the sides of the pan (the internal temperature should reach 190F).

Immediately remove the bread from the pans and cool on a rack.

Makes 2 loaves.

MY NOTE: I use 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast, soften butter instead of oil, sometimes without walnuts.  I don't use the egg wash.  I use a sharp knife to cut the loaf from one end to the other about 1/2 inch deep to prevent bursting.

From The Bread Book by Betsy Oppenneer.