Northern Maine Oatmeal Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Years ago I found this recipe in a Best-Loved Community Recipes Cookbook. It looked good, but I never tried it until the other day when my husband and I had our Bread Bake-Off Contest. I couldn’t get the loaves to rise as high as they should have, but the bread was still fantastic.

2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons salt
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
Melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, combine the boiling water, butter and rolled oats and let stand for one hour (or 30 minutes if you're using "quick" oats.)

Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Add the yeast mixture, molasses, salt and as much flour as you can stir into the oat mixture. Mix thoroughly. (I use my Kitchenaid counter mixer on low.)

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, adding more flour, if necessary, to form a moderately stiff dough. (I use the dough hook on my mixer to knead the dough.)

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn the dough over once to grease the surface. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. (about 45 minutes)

Punch the dough down. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each portion into a loaf, seam side down, in a greased loaf bread pan and let rise again until almost doubled in size about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake about 30 to 40 minutes or until bread tests done. (I tap on top of my bread, if it makes a hollow sound, it's done.) Remove the loaves from the pans and brush the tops with melted butter to soften the crusts. Cool on wire racks.