[Northkeep] honey oatmeal bread recipe

[LRA]

I've had many verbal requests for the Honey Oatmeal Bread recipe (from
Castellan feast). It will be just easier for me to post it to the list
instead of people e-mailing me individually to get it. I made some tinkering
and adjustmetns to the recipe and the adjusted version is what we served at
feast. I have
included my own changes to the recipe; they are the instructions in the ( ).
But this way you have the original recipe and the feast recipe and you can
make it anyway you like.

Lynn the Inquisitive

HONEY OATMEAL BREAD
Yield: 2 loaves (I like to make it into four small loaves because it is
easier to handle and cut and serve. But two still works just as well.)
1 cup instant oats, uncooked (must be instant oats)
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine, but you can substitute olive oil instead
of butter)
2 cups hot water
1 package Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast (1 package = 1 tablespoon, proof
the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm {not hot} water with 1 teaspoon sugar and stir
until all the yeast is wet and sort of dissolved. Let stand for about 5
minutes. If it bubbles up and grows to twice it's size, it's good. If it
doesn't, it's too old to rise the bread.)
2 teaspoons salt
(2 eggs -- makes the bread a much richer flavor)
About 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 warm water
1/3 cup honey (I like to use clover honey, but you can try other
flavors --like orange blossom --for a little different taste.)
Extra oatmeal for coating (I also mix in some brown sugar in the coating --
if you run out of oatmeal, as we did at feast -- I just roll it in brown
sugar. It makes a little sweet taste on the outside to compliment the bread,
and makes the crust a little crustier. For the two loaves, I use about 1 cup
of oatmeal and about 1/3 cup brown sugar.)

Directions
Put the oats in a large bowl. Bring 2 cups water to a boil; pour it over the
oats and let stand for at least 15 minutes.
Stir the yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water(and 1 teaspoon sugar) and let
stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.
Feel the oats at the bottom of the bowl to be sure they're lukewarm. Add
honey, butter, salt and yeast mixture.
Mix well. (I make it in my electric mixer.) Work in enough of the flour so
that the dough can be handled (usually about 4 1/2 to 5 cups depending on
the humidity level), but remember that the oats and honey will make this a
very sticky dough.(The dough is EXTREMELY sticky.) Turn out onto a lightly
floured surface. (Or you can still use the mixer, just on the lowest speed.
If you decide to hand kneed, as I usually do, rub your hands VERY well with
oil  -- I use olive oil-- before you stick them in the dough.) Knead for a
minute or two. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead until dough is elastic
but still rather sticky, adding flour as needed; don't add too much flour at
a time.
Place dough in a (well) greased (I use olive oil) bowl (use a large bowl,
the bread will rise a lot, especially if it is quite warm as it was at
Castellan) and turn to coat. Cover (with cloth -- I use cotton dish
towels--, not plastic or aluminum foil) and let rise in a warm, draft-free
place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Punch down dough and divide into two equal pieces. Knead each piece to
remove the large air bubbles. Do not use any flour on the kneading surface
(again use that olive oil); you want the dough to remain sticky. Form each
piece into a loaf (I make round balls, not loaves because it is easier and
the dough wants to be in that shape). Roll each loaf in additional oats
(about 1 cup oats and 1/3 cup brown sugar) until completely covered. (I find
the easiest way to do this is to put the oats and brown sugar in a medium
sized bowl and mixed up very well. Use more oats and brown sugar if you run
out.) Place loaves on lightly (that should be well greased) greased (I use
olive oil) baking sheets. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until
doubled.
While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaves about 45
minutes (I usually bake about 35 minutes and then check on the bread to see
if it is too brown and how it is doing. I also like to put a small pan with
a little water in it in the bottom of the over. This will make a very crusty
crust. But I did not do this at Castellan), or until they sound hollow when
tapped on the bottom (or the top). Remove from baking sheets and cool on
wire racks.
Notes
Breads made with honey might darken more quickly during baking than other
breads. If the loaves start to get too dark, loosely cover them with
aluminum foil and continue baking. (I haven't had this problem, but
different honeys and different ovens cook differently.)