Buttermilk Oatmeal Bread
Proofing the yeast with water -- it should be about body temperature.
Into the mixer, we added the buttermilk, oatmeal (we used McCann's quick-cooking), melted butter, salt, and ....
Visit from the half-pint inspector.
Yeast is looking good -- puffy and fluffy.
Now it's time for the honey to go into the mixer, followed by flour, baking soda and the yeast mixture and then you let the machine do the mixing and kneading.
Chatting up Merrill while the dough kneads.
You add flour to the dough gradually so you don't add too much. At this stage, it still needs more.
After the dough was kneaded, Merrill shaped it into a loose round and placed it into an oiled bowl.
After the first rise, Merrill punched down the dough.
She turned it and kneaded it lightly.
And shaped it into another ball.
This is what it looks like after it rises the second time.
Amanda pulled out her bread razor (called a grignette) from her bread-baking days in Europe.
Merrill skillfully inverted the loaf onto her palm, and then quickly and gently inverted it again onto the baking stone.
Working quickly so you don't let all the heat out of the oven, you brush the loaf with oil.
Then slash it three times with a razor or very sharp knife.
It will look a little sad and sunken at this stage.
But look what happens!
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Author Notes: This bread (like each of the other loaf breads I regularly make) represents the end point of an evolution that began when I started making sandwiches every day for my first son, when he entered kindergarten nearly 14 years ago. This bread is what every decent sandwich bread should be . . . . it slices perfectly, it has a fragrant, tender crust, and it’s just a bit chewy. And it tastes good, just as it is, with nothing on it. (Just ask the other food52 members who came to our first potluck last month.) Like most sandwich breads, it makes excellent toast. It’s great for putting on the table with dinner, too, especially when feeding ravenous teenagers. Enjoy!! - AntoniaJames
Food52 Review: This makes a sweet, yeasty, extraordinarily fragrant loaf of bread. The dough would make a perfect Pullman (sandwich) loaf, and yet is more flavorful than any we've tasted. We shaped ours into a round and it produced a plump, old-fashioned country boule. The crumb is dense but delicate, the perfect bed for shavings of salted butter. Note: We only used about 1/4 cup of flour when kneading the dough. - A&M - A&M
Serves one good-sized loaf
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, or 1 ½ teaspoons of “rapid-rise” or instant yeast
- 7/8 cup buttermilk (lowfat is fine)
- ½ cup rolled oats (old fashioned or quick)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 – 3 ¼ cup bread flour (You may need just a bit more for kneading.)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Olive oil for brushing the dough before baking
- Proof the yeast by putting it in a small measuring cup with 3 tablespoons of water that is warm (no hotter than 115 degrees Fahrenheit), with a pinch of sugar. Set it aside for at least ten minutes.
- (Please see the note below about kneading. You don't have to mix and knead this dough by hand, if you don't care to do so.) Mix together the buttermilk, oats, melted butter, salt, honey, 1 cup of flour and the baking soda. Beat well until combined.
- Beat in another half cup of flour, then add the yeast and water mixture along with another half cup of flour, and beat some more, until combined. The dough should start to feel a bit stretchy.
- Stir in another half cup of flour as best you can and then dump the contents of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Set the remaining ¾ cup of flour close to your work area. Knead, adding flour a bit at a time as necessary, using a bench scraper to lift from your work surface any dough that is sticking.
- Knead for about ten or twelve minutes, adding only as much flour as you need to keep the dough from sticking hard to your hands. You don’t need to add the entire amount stated in the ingredients list. Remember, this dough has oatmeal in it, which will continue to soak up the liquids in the bread during the rise. (I put a small pile of flour – no more than a few tablespoons – off to the side, and use my bench scraper to pull over a teaspoon or two at a time, as needed.)
- Let the dough rest for a few minutes while you prepare the bowl and your rising area, if necessary. (See note below about the latter.)
- Wash in hot water the same bowl that you used for mixing the dough. Dry it and drizzle in the bottom a teaspoon or two of good, fruity olive oil. You can also use butter to coat the bowl, if you prefer.
- If proofing in your microwave or in your oven, prepare as suggested in Step 17.
- Gently form the dough into a ball, put into the bowl topside down, and then flip it over to coat with the oil.
- Cover the bowl with a piece of parchment and a tea towel. Allow to rise until doubled, for about an hour to an hour and a half.
- Punch down gently, knead a few times, and set aside on the parchment you used to cover the bowl.
- Allow to rise a second time about 45 minutes or until nearly doubled in size. (If you want to use this bread for sandwiches, you may find it beneficial not to let it rise quite as much. A loaf that’s a bit more dense is easier to slice, and holds up better when constructing sandwiches.) See notes below about shaping, and about using a clay pot for loaf bread.
- Brush with olive oil, slash the dough a few times with a sharp knife, and bake at 350 Fahrenheit (for regular ovens) for about 55 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when the bottom is gently tapped.
- Allow to cool on a rack for about an hour before slicing.
- Enjoy!!
- A Note about Rising: If your house is drafty and/or cold (like mine, most of the year) and you don’t have all day or overnight to allow your dough to rise, put a small cup of water in your microwave, and turn it on high for two minutes. It should feel ever so slightly warm. (You don’t want it too hot, because a quick rise can make the bread coarse.) Remove the cup and put your covered bowl of dough, or your shaped loaf on the parchment in the case of the second rise, in there and shut the door. Instruct all members of your household, in no uncertain terms, that if they need to use the microwave, they may do so only if they remove the dough, gently, and replace it, with the door shut, when done. Or, you can warm up your regular oven to no more than 100 degrees (turning it off immediately so it doesn’t get any hotter), leave the door open for a minute or so, then put your dough in there.
- A Note about Clay Pots: This recipe works well either as a free-standing oval on a pizza stone, or in a loaf pan. If using a standard metal pan, lightly oil it before putting the dough into it for the second rise. If you are using a clay pot, please remember that (i) it benefits from soaking in water before using; and (b) you can’t put it, while cold, into a hot oven. So fill up the clay pot about ¾ with water and put it into the oven; about twenty minutes before the time you expect to put the bread in the oven, turn it on (325 degrees Fahrenheit for a convection oven, or 350 for a regular oven). When the dough has completed its second rise, remove the hot pan from the oven, discard the hot water – I use it for cleaning the oily bowl– and then place the dough in the clay pot, using the parchment on which the dough rose. You can oil clay pots, but they don’t absorb as much water during the soak. The absorbed water creates steam in the oven, which improves the crust.
- A Note about Browning: Check the loaf after about 25 minutes. Convection ovens tend to make the crust a bit dark – especially those with milk and butter in them -- so if the crust looks done after 25 or 30 minutes, cover it very lightly with a piece of foil.
- A Note about Kneading: This dough does not necessarily have to be kneaded by hand, if you have another method that you prefer, and are able to make adjustments accordingly. I happen to like stirring and kneading, because I rely on my hands to tell me when the correct amount of flour has been added. Plus, there's nothing quite like the satisfaction of using your own hands to turn a shaggy, floury mass of not-quite combined ingredients into the most glorious, smooth, shiny and supple ball of dough. I do some of my best thinking while kneading, too.
- Your Best (Savory) Yeast Bread Contest Finalist!
Tags: chewy, delicious, fragrant, Sandwiches, toast, toasted
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11 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Just to follow up on the comments/thread with Rivka re using a levain to boost flavor, etc. in this bread . . . . I've been using metric measurements whenever possible for the past year or so. To convert this recipe for use with a 100% hydration wild yeast levain, use 250 grams of active levain (i.e., one that's been recently fed and brought to room temperature), 260 grams of flour, 93 grams of buttermilk (I've been using ricotta whey lately and just love the results.), and 50 grams of oatmeal. I reduce the yeast to 1 1/2 teaspoons, or less if planning very long rise. I don't add any water because I know my yeast is good, and prefer to use as much whey as possible. If using active dry yeast, which generally works better when softened in liquid, simply drop it into the levain for a minute or so, before incorporating the levain with the dry ingredients. I wouldn't proof the yeast in whey or buttermilk because of its potentially high level of acid. (I read somewhere that acid adversely affects yeast.) The levain works just fine to dissolve the coating on the yeast, so I have seen no need to confirm or disprove that, in this case. I'll post the substitutions noted above in a new recipe when time permits in the coming weeks. ;o)
about 1 year ago Rivka
Adapted this recipe to work with my sourdough starter, and thought I'd share my proportions in case others were interested in doing the same. I roughly followed a formula from Clotilde (http://chocolateandzucchini...), measuring out the requisite amounts of flour and water called for here to check their weight before converting the recipe. Here's what I came up with:
- 4 oz starter (100% hydration)
- 11.5 oz flour (I used 2/3 white, 1/3 barley), so not quite 3 cups
- 6 oz buttermilk, or 3/4 cup
- same quantities of everything else
As with all bread recipes, the quantities will vary with temperature at humidity. Today, these quantities produced a lovely loaf.
One other note: because I was using sourdough starter straight from the fridge, I doubled the initial rising time, which, happily, did the trick. If you try it with starter, let me know if these quantities work for you and/or what you changed.
Thanks, AJ!
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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Rivka, thank you! Is this a happy coincidence, or did you see my question on the Hotline seeking to find new ways to use the wild-yeast levain starter I developed last month? I'm trying this tonight! ;o)
about 1 year ago Rivka
Just the happiest of coincidences! Hope you enjoy it. It was an absolutely delicious platform for my scrambled eggs, chevre, and chives this morning.
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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Rivka, did you use any yeast, and if so, did you also use the 3 tablespoons of water for proofing? Or did you forego it altogether? My breads with the levain will rise with just the wild yeast, though it takes longer, so I add 1/4 teaspoon of yeast when I add the other ingredients to the levain. I'm wondering though what you did. Thank you. ;o)
about 1 year ago Rivka
I didn't use any yeast. My starter is very...active. :) I didn't add the water, but had it not been so humid out, I might have upped the buttermilk and/or added some water.
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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Rivka, how did you figure this out? I'd like to try doing the same thing with my barley and whey bread recipe (which, happily, I recorded in grams). Thank you!
12 months ago Rivka
Sorry I missed this. See the link in my initial comment - Clotilde offers a formula that I've found to work with minimal tweaking.
12 months ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks so much. I actually did exactly that, last week, and it was fantastic. And I've made this bread twice now as well, also converting to grams (so much easier!). Over the weekend, I used whey from ricotta for all of the balance of the liquid. It was whey that had been in the fridge for over a week, so I wasn't sure whether it would be too acid. But it turned out beautifully! I recorded the details, so I plan to post it as a separate recipe before too long. I am utterly sold on the ease of weighing instead of measuring by volume, and on the wonderful taste that a wild yeast levain brings to a great loaf of homemade bread! ;o)
12 months ago Rivka
Sounds delicious. Love the idea of using whey.
I used real buttermilk instead of the processed stuff my second time around, and it made a huge difference. Bread was so much richer and creamier. Really delicious. I whipped up another batch last night (that's when I saw your comment), and I'm experimenting with an overnight rise in the fridge followed by a short rise later tonight when I get home. Will let you know how it goes.
about 1 year ago nutcakes
I just ate this bread with a turkey sandwich with pickles. The bread is a little sweet for that but I enjoyed it. The thin and sweet crust is interesting, and it is very good alone. Will make again, was easy to throw together and let the Kitchenaid do the kneading, which I prefer.
over 1 year ago Breadlove
This bread is wonderful! Thank you for sharing your recipe. One question, what does the baking soda do?
over 1 year ago Martin69
Baking soda is a chemical leavening agent that cause batters to rise when baked.
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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The baking soda here neutralizes to some extent the acidity in the buttermilk. I've had problems with the buttermilk adversely affecting the yeast in breads like this, so I add a bit of baking soda to prevent it from doing so. ;o)
over 1 year ago ChefsWife2
Ohmigosh this bread is good! I'm making another loaf tomorrow to put in the freezer...
over 1 year ago gothamista
Such a wonderful bread -- it came out perfectly. I used a little walnut oil while kneading and for brushing and it added lovely flavor and texture to the crust. I let it rise quite a bit before baking since I won't be using the bread for sandwiches (just to devour on its own!) and I swear it is almost croissant-like in its delicate taste and toothsomeness. Terrific recipe!!
over 1 year ago Carrie Blaydes
I had tremendous success with this recipe and will be baking many loaves in the future - without a doubt!
Not only does it slice like a dream, but we've found it to be the perfect sandwich AND toast bread, hand's down. The oatmeal seems to make it just a tiny bit more hearty than a lot of other yeasty loaves, possibly accounting for the precision-perfect slicing every time(?).
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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Oh, I'm so glad to hear that it turned out so well for you, and that you plan to make it again. This is one of our favorites. I make this bread more than any other kind, for all of the reasons you say. Thank you. ;o)
over 1 year ago nannydeb
I finally got around to making this on Saturday and it is fabulous! We all enjoyed it.
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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Thank you, nannydeb. So glad you think so. ;o)
over 1 year ago caddysnax
made this again last week. fantastic. best sandwich bread ever.
almost 2 years ago Martin69
I baked this bread today! I wish I could upload a picture of this loaf, I baked it in a Pain de Mie bread pan. The first rise, after 2 + hours, I don't think it ever doubled, so I was concerned, but pressed on. I gave it a couple kneads, put it in the Pain de Mie to rise again, after another 2 hours I noticed a nice rise, so I covered it, set the oven to 350 and baked it for 45- 50 minutes. I is such a beautiful loaf of bread, thank you!
almost 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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Wow, that's interesting about the rises. But I'm glad to hear it worked out. I bet it tastes great, too. A longer rise usually means a more complex, pleasing flavor. Thanks so much for letting me know. ;o)
about 2 years ago afielder
I am making this bread right now, but I am using Scottish Oatmeal for it. I think it will turn out great.
about 2 years ago afielder
Yes, we just had some, and it came out very good, using Scottish Oatmeal.
about 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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So glad to hear that! Thanks for letting us know. ;o)
about 2 years ago JayKayTee
By Request From Antonia James - Pasted from Buttermilk Barley Bread Recipe to post to foodpickle too:
AJ, I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand for this bread (I will!) but did for your Buttermilk Oatmeal Bread - made it last night. The baking bread aroma was heavenly as is the texture and taste of the finished product. Thank you, I am continuously looking for hearty tasty breads. I do have a question. The loaf, I used a metal loaf pan, browned up very quickly. I covered it before ten minutes had ticked off the clock. In looking at the cut end of the loaf I see that the deep dark brown crust is quite thick all around the loaf. The internal temperature registered just over 200 degrees. Do you have any suggestions on how to reduce the amount of exterior bread that gets too browned? Notes: My oven seems to be consistent in its internal temperature; the rack was at the high middle position; it is an electric oven (not convection); and I usually have the problem of bread being under baked when using the recipe stated time. Thank you for these great bread recipes and for your help to a fledgling bread baker.
AntoniaJames Reply to this
about 20 hours ago
Hi, JayKay,Tee. I almost always use a clay pot when I bake bread, and I have a convection oven, but I have noticed that the metal pans do make the crust a lot darker and thicker. Also, milk in yeast doughs tend to make the crust very dark. My inclination would be to lower the heat a bit, and to put the pan right in the middle of the oven or a bit lower, on a cookie sheet to protect it from the high heat coming up from the bottom. This would be a great question to post to foodpickle, as there are a lot of bakers in our community with an enormous amount, collectively and individually, of relevant experience. I don't know much about internal temperatures, but based on my experience, a thick, dark crust means the loaf has been in the oven too long. The bread will continue to cook inside once it's been removed from the oven, if you don't cut it. Anyway, would you mind going to the Buttermilk Oatmeal Bread recipe and then linking the question to foodpickle from there? If you don't wish to, please let me know and I will be happy to do so. This is such a great question; it's one our fellow bread bakers (including would-be bread bakers!) out there will find interesting. Thank you. ;o)
almost 2 years ago Droplet
JayKayTee, just thought I would post my two cents on this after reading your question and AJ's answer. There are two more things you could do to decrease the final degree of browning: one would be to bake the bread for the fist half of the recommended time in an oven that is set to the "bottom only" setting, in which case you would need to keep your rack on a level slightly higher than the middle. I have learned this from my grandmother. Do turn on the top and bottom in the second half of baking. The next thing that contributes to the browning is the presence of honey. As a general rule when baking with honey the AHB reccomends that you decrease slightly your oven temperature because it tends to darken whatever you are baking. But since bread as opposed to cakes does require a much higher temperature, you might have to replace part of the honey with sugar in order to get the crust you are looking for. But that of course would sacrifice the final flavor of the bread too. Hope this helps some.
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
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Droplet, I missed this comment when you posted it last month. So helpful!! Thank you for weighing in on this. I'm still way, way down on the learning curve when it comes to bread. . . . there's so much I don't know . . . so I really appreciate your sharing this useful information. ;o)
over 1 year ago Droplet
I am sure I am not too far ahead of you AJ, just know some useful bits that resurface here and there.
about 2 years ago mcd2
made this a week ago. delicious! my sister loved it too. it was fun to play with dough again & this was a good dough to pick up bread baking with again. I would add a little more salt next time or am wondering if I mismeasured because 1 1/2 tsp should be enough for one loaf...o well, great bread & i recommend this recipe!
about 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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Hey, thank, mcd2, for trying this and for posting your kind comment! I'm not sure I'd use more than 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt . . . that's about the most I put into any sandwich-style loaf this size. But then, if you like your bread a bit saltier, go ahead! So glad you and your sister liked it. Keep baking!! ;o)
over 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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I made a loaf of this yesterday for Mr T, substituting 1/3 cup of barley flour for an equal amount of bread flour, and using quick oats. It could well have been the best loaf using this recipe that I've ever made. I highly recommend this variation. ;o)
over 2 years ago Warty Bliggens
I'm looking forward to making this recipe. I noticed that you commented that this would make a good Pullman loaf. I have been thinking of getting a Pullman loaf pan from King Arthur's but one thing that I don't know is just how full it should be. Will this recipe make a large Pullman loaf or do I take a part of it and cook off the rest as rolls or recalculate the quantities for a Pullman loaf. Any ideas?
over 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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I don't know the capacity of the Pullman loaf pan sold by King Arthur Flour. Let me look into this. I'll be making this recipe in the next day or so, and will use the pan that I have.. Then I will report back, with details, most likely this weekend. I typically use a clay pot that is actually the bottom half of a small rectangular roasting pan set, but I do have a nice metal pan that I've been using with other bread recipes recently, so I'm delighted to do this. Thanks! ;o)
over 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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I looked at the KAF site and saw three different sizes of Pain de Mie pan. The 9” x 4” x 4" one is what you would use in making this bread. (I figured that out by looking at the recipe linked to the product description. It seems comparable to this.) Have fun! ;o)
over 2 years ago La Panadera
Hello, I just made this recipe last night in my 1 1/2 pound pullman pan. I didn't put the lid on it so it gave a nice round top so I don't see why it wouldn't fill the lid-on pan nicely. This is certainly a wonderful recipe, the bread taste fantastic! AntonioJames' instructions are wonderful. Her note about not letting it rise too long for a sandwich loaf was right on. I lost track of time and let the second rise go for about an hour and a half and it was a bit too airy for sandwiches but I'm planning on dipping it in pot roast tonight anyway ;) Thank you so much for the wonderful recipes.
over 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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Thanks so much, LaPanadera, for the useful information and the very kind words!! ;o)
over 2 years ago Spork
Had a little trouble with the first rising, did not realize my house was so cold! But it was worth the wait! Even better toasted with butter and jam, yummy!
over 2 years ago AntoniaJames
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Thank you so much, Spork! I would bet that the slow rise actually improved the bread. It usually does, as it allows the flavors to develop more. And, toasted with butter and (my homemade) jam is how this bread is most often eaten in our household, too. But it makes a great sandwich, as well. So glad you like it! ;o)
almost 3 years ago lapadia
We had extra buttermilk (due to my husband buying it instead of regular milk) so I was on mission to use it up, remembered seeing your recipe, I love playing in the kitchen…especially creating, working and kneading yeast breads – I find it is the best therapy for anything! Made your recipe yesterday; I did the first part by hand and finished the last knead with my stand mixer dough hook, and baked free form on a stone. This bread dough is so easy to handle, I did not need to use extra flour while forming the loaf. I am in the middle of transferring recipes from my hard drive to a recipe blog; please check out my yeast baking adventures. This morning I am thinking this recipe would make good French toast! Also, I love how you are so detailed in writing your bread recipes, I often switch between my clay pots, free form, sometimes using a loaf pan, a stone and often bake convection, and your recipes take the guesswork out of it all. BTW – I added 2 of my amateur photos…
almost 3 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
So glad you like this bread. You can substitute buttermilk in most sandwich-type (fine crumb, soft crust) bread recipes, but make sure you add 1/4 tsp. of baking soda for every cup of liquid. It's essential, to balance the acidity in the milk (which will adversely affect the yeast, if unchecked). I agree, too, about kneading. It's totally a right brain activity; I often let my right brain solve tough left-brain problems while kneading- And you get nearly instant gratification, too, in creating something beautiful. I just don't understand the aversion to kneading. ;o)
about 3 years ago AntoninDevourChoc
I agree with BigBear except this is not just "one" of my favorites. It IS my favorite. Nicely done, Mother.
about 3 years ago BigBear
Yes, this is definitely one of her best. One my favorites, too. All of them are excellent though.
about 3 years ago TasteFood
Yum, another great bread Antonia!