Cranberry-Grapenut Bread
Last Friday evening was a party for my aunt's birthday. In the early afternoon my mom asked me if I had gotten my aunt a present, and my response was, "Duh...no." Abruptly, I realized I would be baking bread that afternoon. My aunt's daughters and their significant others were visiting my aunt, so I thought I would bake something they could eat for breakfast.
I checked the cupboard for stale raisin bran, but it had already been thrown out, so I took the last of a box of Grape-Nuts. I had been to the grocery store that morning and bought sweetened dried cranberries, so those were going in too.
However, the first order of business was to make a sponge--a yeasty base that would rise like gangbusters. I started with one cup of wrist-temperature water, dissolved a scant tablespoon of yeast (one package) in the water, added a dash of molasses, and stirred in 1.5 cups of wheat bread flour. I covered the sponge and put it somewhere warm to rise for about 40 minutes.
The sponge: one cup lukewarm water, 1 packet yeast, a little molasses, 1.5 cups wheat bread flour.
Then I heated about a cup of water until it was pretty hot, and I poured it over 2/3 cup of dried cranberries. I added 3 tablespoons of butter so it could melt while the cranberries hydrated, and I poured in another dash of molasses (less than a teaspoon) and a teaspoon of salt.
When the sponge had risen, I dumped 2/3 cup of Grape-Nuts in with my cranberries to briefly moisten the Grape-Nuts, and then I threw the whole mix into the sponge and stirred it down. I added two cups of white bread flour, and then I continued adding wheat flour until the dough was ready to knead.
The add-ins: 1 cup hot water (cooled), 2/3 cup dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons butter, a little molasses, 1 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup Grape-Nuts cereal, then finally a whole bunch of flour.
At this point bread baking follows a fairly standard pattern. Knead the dough, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is "earlobe soft" and springy. Place it in an oiled bowl, and turn it to oil it so it won't get dry and crusty when it rises. Cover it, and let it rise until doubled in bulk, an hour or so. Knead it again, and form it into loaves, in this case two loaves. Put it in bread pans, cover it, and let it rise again until doubled in bulk, maybe 35 minutes or so.
I baked this bread for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees. I knew it was done because when I rapped on it with my knuckles, it sounded hollow. It more than doubled in size, smelled wonderful, and tasted fabulous.
I checked the cupboard for stale raisin bran, but it had already been thrown out, so I took the last of a box of Grape-Nuts. I had been to the grocery store that morning and bought sweetened dried cranberries, so those were going in too.
However, the first order of business was to make a sponge--a yeasty base that would rise like gangbusters. I started with one cup of wrist-temperature water, dissolved a scant tablespoon of yeast (one package) in the water, added a dash of molasses, and stirred in 1.5 cups of wheat bread flour. I covered the sponge and put it somewhere warm to rise for about 40 minutes.
The sponge: one cup lukewarm water, 1 packet yeast, a little molasses, 1.5 cups wheat bread flour.
Then I heated about a cup of water until it was pretty hot, and I poured it over 2/3 cup of dried cranberries. I added 3 tablespoons of butter so it could melt while the cranberries hydrated, and I poured in another dash of molasses (less than a teaspoon) and a teaspoon of salt.
When the sponge had risen, I dumped 2/3 cup of Grape-Nuts in with my cranberries to briefly moisten the Grape-Nuts, and then I threw the whole mix into the sponge and stirred it down. I added two cups of white bread flour, and then I continued adding wheat flour until the dough was ready to knead.
The add-ins: 1 cup hot water (cooled), 2/3 cup dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons butter, a little molasses, 1 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup Grape-Nuts cereal, then finally a whole bunch of flour.
At this point bread baking follows a fairly standard pattern. Knead the dough, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is "earlobe soft" and springy. Place it in an oiled bowl, and turn it to oil it so it won't get dry and crusty when it rises. Cover it, and let it rise until doubled in bulk, an hour or so. Knead it again, and form it into loaves, in this case two loaves. Put it in bread pans, cover it, and let it rise again until doubled in bulk, maybe 35 minutes or so.
I baked this bread for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees. I knew it was done because when I rapped on it with my knuckles, it sounded hollow. It more than doubled in size, smelled wonderful, and tasted fabulous.
Labels: food
posted by Margo at 9:03 AM
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