Baking Bootcamp: Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread

Sometimes I can’t believe the fun we get to have here!  All the biscuits, all the cookies, and all in the name of work!  Today we’re exploring a whole wheat bread recipe. Specifically, Whole Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread!  It’s the last in our 4-challenge King Arthur Flour Baking Bootcamp!

First we made Triple Berry Cinnamon Swirl Bread, a braided bread stuffed with loads of fresh berries, cinnamon and butter.

We made Apple Pie Biscuits with sweet fall apples and tender biscuit dough.

This Winter we made Gruyère and Green Olive Loaves, big salty, satisfying and cheesy loaves.

Now!  Hearty loaves of honey, oat, and wheat!

These oatmeal studded loaves bake up light and golden!  Perfect for slicing thick and topping with softened butter, ripe avocado, or fruity jam.

As we move through January, I find myself craving staples… simple foods that I can slather in butter for warmth and comfort.

Here’s what we’re going to need for this whole wheat bread recipe:

1 • King Arthur Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour.  A sweeter and more mild whole wheat flour.  Perfect for adding whole wheat goodness without being too dense.

2 • I use this King Arthur Flour Bench Knife just about everyday in my kitchen. It’s perfect for scraping little dough bits from the countertop… something a sponge just pitifully attacks. You might also use the bench knife to slice though the center of the rolled dough. It’s sharp too! I love this tool!

3 • Kitchen fashion is important to me. Hedley & Bennett understands my needs for a functional, durable, totally chic apron. Not too frilly. I always want to be more badass than 50’s housewife-y in the kitchen.

4 • Lovely and durable kitchen towels for resting our dough from LoomedNOLA.

5 • Having Colorful Mixing Bowls is the kitchen equivalent of having a great black dress in your closet. Necessary treat.

6 • Loaf pans for loaves of bread and pound cakes.

7 • These wooden spoons just get better with time.

8 • Is it normal to have a completely mismatched set of Measuring Cups, or should I just treat myself to a matching set like this? Don’t answer that…

9 • The Pyrex glass measuring cup.  A forever kitchen classic.

10 • Same goes for the Measuring Spoons… it’s nice to have a full matching set.

Let’s get baking!  We’re in this together.  Here are some important details!

• Baking 101: The Difference Between Baking Flours for all the nitty-gritty on bran and germ and protein content.

• King Arthur Flour’s Baker’s Hotline is a fantastic resource for curious home bakers to discuss your fears, concerns and eventual successes. Give them a ring! It’s magic. 1-855-371-2253

Our ingredients:

Oatmeal, brown sugar, honey, butter, salt, cinnamon, and yeast.

Two kinds of flour:  white whole wheat and all-purpose flour for heartiness and balance.

Warm water to bring it all together.

The old-fashioned oatmeal goes into a large glass measuring cup.

Brown sugar along with the honey, butter, salt and cinnamon.

Warm water will help plump the oatmeal, dissolve the sugar and honey, and melt the butter.

Stir stir for cohesive flavors.

White Whole Wheat plus unbleached All-Purpose Flour.

The whole wheat flour adds a hearty and nutty texture to the bread.  A lovely balance to the oats and honey.

Active dry yeast stirred into the flour.  We’re going to need the umph.

Stir the flour and yeast together to combine.

Wet ingredients meet dry.  Oatmeal and all!

A wooden spoon to bring it all together.

The mixture will be fairly thick.

In the bowl, the dough will be rather shaggy.

We’re going to need some knead time.

Generously flour a clean work counter.

Transfer the shaggy dough to the floured counter.

I use the heel of my hand to knead the dough together.

Keep kneading into a smooth dough ball.

I like to clear any dough scraps off the counter, still keep the space covered in flour, and then continue kneading.

Knead and fold.  The dough will become cohesive and smooth.

This little dough baby is ready to rest!

Into a large, lightly oiled bowl to rest and rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Look at that perfectly fluffy rise!

The risen dough is dumped back onto the floured counter and, using a bench knife, sliced in half.  We’re making two loaves of bread!

Each half of dough is sprinkled lightly with flour and then it’s time for shaping.

Log-shaped.  Loaf-shaped.  Knead gently and fold under so any seams are on the underside.

Perfect for the loaf pan!

Just make sure the corners are tucked in and the dough is ready to rise again.

Simple loaves.  Risen and light.  Ready for the oven!

These loaves bake up perfectly hearty and pleasing.   Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.  The loaves need time to rest so the inside texture is just right.  I like to serve this bread sliced thick, spread with salty softened butter, and either jam or cinnamon sugar.

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