Honey Oat Bread

I never thought I'd be able to bake bread, but it was easy thanks to the pictures and simple instructions from Darla at Bakingdom.  I can't believe how pretty---not to mention tasty---this bread turned out.

Here's what you need:
3 cups flour
3/4 cup oats (instant or old fashioned)
2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast (dry active or instant)
1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup honey
A bowl to hold the dough while it rises
A loaf pan

For the top of the bread:
1 and 1/2 to 2 tablesppons honey, warmed
1 and 1/2 to 2 tablespoons oats

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer---I used my KitchenAid---combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt. If you're using instant yeast, you don't need to proof it. If you're using dry active yeast, put the yeast in the 1/4 cup of lukewarm water and let sit for 10 minutes, then mix that into the bowl with the flour, oats, and salt.

Warm the milk so that it’s hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water (if you didn't use it earlier to proof the yeast) and the honey.

Pour that mixture into the flour mixture. Mix it all with your mixer using a dough hook attachment for 10 minutes, or mix by hand, until the dough becomes smooth and stretchy. My dough clumped around the dough hook almost immediately, but that seemed to be just fine.  Add more flour a little at time if the dough is too sticky; add more water if it's too dry.

Place the dough in a lightly oil a bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let the dough rise for 1/2 to 1 hour.

Once the dough has doubled, place it on a clean, dry work surface and flatten it into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle with your hands (no need for a rolling pin). Roll the dough up and tuck in the ends so that the dough forms a loaf. Put the dough into the lightly-oiled loaf pan, cover again, and let it rise again for 1/2 to 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place an empty loaf pan or other oven-safe pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats.

Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown. Transfer the bread to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bakingdom; pictures (c) me.