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Yummy wholemeal porridge bread

publication date: Jan 8, 2010
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author/source: Fiona Beckett/Signe Johansen
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This yummy recipe is based on one I was given by Signe Johansen, one of the co-authors of The Ultimate Student Cookbook. It's easy to rustle up from storecupboard ingredients, especially if you’re a porridge fan. in a shop it would probably sell for between £1.50 and £2 so you're also making yourself a considerable saving.

If you've never made bread before and are not sure what kneading or knocking back involve take a look at Lesley Waters' video demonstrating a white bread recipe on bbc.co.uk

Makes 1 large loaf

30g butter or 2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 level tbsp dark soft brown or other brown sugar
150g jumbo oats or porridge oats + an extra tbsp for the topping
250g strong wholemeal flour + 200g strong white flour (or 450g wholemeal but the loaf won’t be quite as light)
2 tsp salt
1 level tsp quick-acting yeast (e.g. Dove’s)
Beaten egg or egg white for glazing
You’ll also need a lightly greased 900g loaf tin, preferably non-stick

Heat 250ml water until hot but not boiling, add the butter and sugar and stir until melted. Add the oats, stir and leave to cool whilst assembling the rest of the ingredients.

Tip the wholemeal flour in a large bowl, sift in the white flour, salt and yeast and mix thoroughly so the salt and yeast are evenly distributed. Have 125ml of warm water to hand. Make a hollow in the flour, add the soaked porridge oats and half the water and stir with a wooden spoon. When the mixture begins to come together, scrape the dough off the spoon and bring the mixture together with your hands adding as much extra water as you need to form a dough. (The texture should be slightly sticky but not wet) Turn the dough onto a board and knead for 10 minutes until it springs back when you press it lightly with your thumb. Transfer the dough back to the mixing bowl, cover with lightly clingfilm and leave to rise somewhere warm for an hour.

Once the dough has risen, knock it back and knead gently then shape the loaf so that it will fit into the tin leaving the join underneath. Recover it with the oiled clingfilm and leave it until it has doubled in size (about another 30-40 minutes). Turn the oven on to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7 about 15 minutes before the dough is due to be ready.

Brush the top of the loaf with the beaten egg then sprinkle over the remaining oats. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes or until you can insert a skewer or sharp-pointed knife in the bread and it comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out to cool on a wire rack. This bread is particularly good with cheese or toasted with honey.

TOP TIPS:

* Since you have to have the oven on at such a high temperature it would be worth baking some more bread or a pizza at the same time.

* You could also freeze half the loaf



 

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