PBG Recipe: Cinnamon Blueberry Oatmeal Bread

I decided to start of 2011 with something hearty and healthy to balance out all the treats we have been having over the holidays. 

My original plan was to make raisin bread, but apparently I didn't have any raisins. However, I did have blueberries on hand so I thought that would make a nice change to a classic flavour.   I will admit this was my very first time making real bread and I have to say I am so happy with how it turned out.  Next time I make this bread I think I will add some nuts to the mix for some added texture and protein. 

Ingredients
Makes 1 loaf
3 cups bread or all-purpose unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 1/4 cups warm water

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp instant yeast

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup dried blueberries

Directions

• Soak the oats in the water for 20 minutes.
• Mix the flours, yeast, milk, honey, oil, salt, and cinnamon into the oats. Mix well, until all of the flour is hydrated. Knead by hand for 5 minutes or in a stand mixer for 3, then mix in the blueberries. Knead or mix until the blueberries are distributed throughout the dough.
• Cover the bowl of dough and allow it to rise for 1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and place the dough on a floured work surface, top side down.
• Flatten the dough slightly and fold the dough in thirds, like a letter.
• Rotate the dough 180 degrees, flatten again slightly and fold in thirds again.
• Flip the dough over, dust off as much of the raw flour as you can, and place it back into the bowl.
• Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise again for another hour.
• Once risen, shape the loaf and place into a greased bread pan.
• Spray or gently brush the loaf with water and sprinkle with some more oats.
• Cover the pan and set aside to rise until it crests above the edge of the pan, roughly 90 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450. Place the pan in the center rack of the oven. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375. Rotate the pan 180 degrees after 20 minutes, and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the top of the bread is nicely browned, the bottom of the loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped.

• Eat with lots of butter.