Everyday Oatmeal Honey-Raisin Bread

(from Kneadlessly Simple: Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads by Nancy Baggett)

Yield: 1 large loaf, 12 to 15 slices

“Because this dough includes cinnamon, which contains a yeast inhibiting chemical, the recipe calls for slightly more yeast than normal.”

2 ¾ cups (13.75 ounces) unbleached white bread flour, plus more as needed

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking (not instant) oats

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons table salt

1 ¼ teaspoons instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast

½ cup clover honey or other mild honey

2 tablespoons corn oil or canola oil, plus extra for coating dough top and baking pan

½ cups plus 1 tablespoon ice water, plus more if needed

1 cup dark raisins, rinsed under warm water, then drained well and patted dry

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for garnish




FIRST RISE: In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, and yeast. In another bowl or measuring cup, thoroughly whisk the honey and oil into the water. Thoroughly stir the mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides and mixing to blend well. If the dough is stiff, stir in enough more ice water to soften it slightly; the dough should not be dry or overly stiff, as the oats draw up moisture. Brush or spray the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. (For convenience, I refrigerated mine for 8 hours.) Let rise at cool room temperature (about 70°F) for 12 to 18 hours. (I sat mine out overnight for 12 hours.)

SECOND RISE: Stir the dough vigorously, adding in the raisins until evenly incorporated. Stir in enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir consistency. (I think I added about 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups of flour. It was still sticky, but very hard to stir.) Using an oiled rubber spatula, fold the dough in towards the center all the way around. (I didn’t do this. Instead, I floured my hands and shaped the dough into a tight ball.) This organizes the gluten for shaping the dough into a loaf. Invert the dough into a generously greased 9 X 5-inch loaf pan.

Brush or spray the top with oil, then using an oiled rubber spatula or fingertips, smooth out the surface and press the dough evenly into the pan. Using a well-oiled serrated knife or kitchen shears, make a ½-inch deep slash lengthwise down the loaf. Cover the pan with nonstick spray-coated plastic wrap.

LET RISE USING ANY OF THESE METHODS: For a 1 ½- to 3-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2- hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water (I used this method, and it took about 50 minutes for me); or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. When the dough nears the plastic, remove it and continue the rise until the dough extends ¼-inch above the pan rim. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar garnish over the top.

BAKING PRELIMINARIES: 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F.

BAKING: (At this point, I gave my neighbor instructions to bake it for 35 minutes, then cover with foil and let it go for only 20 more minutes. When I got to his house, the bread was already cooling, so I didn’t get a chance to check the internal temp. But the bread was VERY brown so I knew it was done, maybe slightly overdone.) Bake on the lower rack for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the loaf is well browned. Cover with foil, and continue baking for another 30 to 40 minutes more. Begin testing occasionally with a skewer inserted in the thickest part, until it comes out with slightly moist particles clinging to the end (or until the center registers 208° to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer). Bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer to ensure the center is baked through. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn the loaf out onto a rack; cool thoroughly.

SERVING AND STORING: Serve cool, or toasted; the bread doesn't slice well until completely cooled. Cool thoroughly before storing in plastic or foil. Keeps at room temperature for 3 days. May be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

VARIATION: OAT-WHOLE WHEAT HONEY-RAISIN BREAD—Instead of 2 ¾ cups white bread flour, use 1 ¾ cups white bread flour (plus more if needed) and 1 cup whole wheat flour.