Cajun Honey Oat Bread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x5 inch loaf pan
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the yeast

   Combine the warm milk and honey in a large mixing bowl, stirring until the honey dissolves completely. The milk should feel like a warm bath on your wrist, around 110°F. Too hot kills the yeast. Too cool and it won't wake up. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let it sit undisturbed for ten minutes. You're looking for a foamy, bubbly layer on top. That's your yeast telling you it's alive and ready to work.

   If your yeast doesn't foam after ten minutes, it's dead. Start over with fresh yeast and check your milk temperature.
2. 2

   Build the dough

   Add the flour, 3/4 cup of the oats (reserve the rest for topping), and salt to the bowl with the bloomed yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Add the softened butter in pieces and the egg. Mix until everything comes together into a rough ball. The dough will look messy at this point. That's fine.

3. 3

   Knead until smooth

   Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for eight to ten minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand, folding, turning. The dough transforms as you work it. It goes from sticky and rough to smooth and elastic. When it's ready, it will bounce back when you poke it with your finger. Press your thumb into the surface: it should spring back slowly, leaving just a slight impression.

   Resist adding too much flour during kneading. A slightly tacky dough produces a more tender loaf. Dust your hands instead of the work surface.
4. 4

   First rise

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Turn it once so the top is coated with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set it in a warm, draft-free spot. My grandmother used the top of her stove with the oven light on. Let it rise until doubled in size, about one to one and a half hours. The time depends on the warmth of your kitchen.

5. 5

   Shape the loaf

   Punch down the risen dough to release the gas. Turn it onto your work surface. Pat it into a rough rectangle about eight inches wide. Roll it up tightly from the short end, pinching the seam closed as you go. Tuck the ends under and place the loaf seam-side down in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. The dough should fill about two-thirds of the pan.

6. 6

   Second rise

   Cover the pan loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it crowns about an inch above the rim of the pan, forty-five minutes to one hour. The loaf should look proud and puffy, ready to go into the oven. Start preheating your oven to 350°F about twenty minutes before the dough is ready.

7. 7

   Top and bake

   Brush the top of the loaf gently with melted butter. Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of oats over the surface, pressing them lightly so they stick. Bake in the center of the oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes. The bread is done when the top is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F. A properly baked loaf sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.

   If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last ten minutes of baking.
8. 8

   Cool before slicing

   Remove the loaf from the pan immediately and let it cool on a wire rack for at least thirty minutes before slicing. I know it's hard to wait when that honey-oat smell fills your kitchen. But cutting too soon releases steam and leaves you with a gummy interior. Patience here is the final ingredient. When you do slice in, you'll find a soft, tender crumb with little pockets of oats throughout.

Chef Tips

• •Louisiana wildflower honey has a distinctive floral quality that store-brand clover honey can't match. If you can't find it, look for any local raw honey from your region. The flavor will still be honest.
• •For a softer crust, brush the loaf with butter again right when it comes out of the oven. At Lagniappe, we brush it twice because we believe in generosity.
• •This bread makes the best French toast you've ever tasted. Let it go slightly stale, about two days old, then soak thick slices in custard and cook in butter until golden.
• •Store the cooled loaf in a paper bag inside a plastic bag. The paper absorbs excess moisture while the plastic keeps it from drying out. Good for four to five days at room temperature.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made through the first rise, then punched down and refrigerated overnight. Let it come to room temperature for one hour before shaping.
• •Baked bread freezes beautifully for up to three months. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Thaw at room temperature and refresh in a 300°F oven for ten minutes.
• •Slice the entire loaf before freezing if you want to pull out individual slices for toast. They thaw in minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 64g)