Old-Fashioned Cornmeal Molasses Brown Bread
A rich and flavourful hardy bread. Soft and tender with a subtle caramel flavour, and colour, thanks to the molasses!
Equipment
- 2 loaf pans
Ingredients
- ½ cup cornmeal 125 ml
- 2 cups water 500 ml
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
- ½ cup molasses 125 ml
- 2 Tablespoons butter 30 ml
- ½ cup warm water 125 ml
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast or 1 packet 7 ½ g
- 4 ½ - 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 - 1¼ L
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add ½ cup (125 ml.) of warm water. Stir in the yeast. Set aside to soften and become foamy.
- In a sauce pot over medium-high heat, stir the cornmeal and 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir to avoid any lumps from forming. Cook the cornmeal until you have a thick mixture, about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in the salt, butter, and molasses.
- Let the mixture cool until it is warm, not hot.
- When the mixture has cooled, add it to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl by hand. With the dough hook attachment stir in the yeast mixture and 4 ½ cups (1 L) of flour.
- Knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic, and cleans the side of the bowl. If the dough is still too sticky, add more flour, a little at a time, until you have the right consistency.
- Cover the dough and allow to rise until it has doubled in bulk (1 - 1.5 hours).
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and split in half.
- Shape each into a loaf. I do this by flattening the dough out and folding it in thirds. Then working in the opposite directions roll the dough, pressing it together as you go.
- Place each dough loaf in a greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk again. About 30 -45 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Bake in a preheated 350 ºF (180 ºC) oven for 1 hour, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped.