WHEAT & YEAST FREE OATMEAL MOLASSES BREAD, easy peasy, double duty

You won't taste the oatmeal or molasses in this fabulous easy more-ish bread 

updated Dec 19

Slightly wonky shaped Oatmeal Molasses Bread/Rolls 
'Lovely and moist; once you start you want to eat it all.' 'I really like it; I never eat bread as a snack but I did with this.' Tasters

Here's a heart-friendly bread with a wonderful taste and texture that's full of fibre and vital nutrients. The bread is typical of Irish soda breads and tastes unusually good.  The molasses and oatmeal are barely noticeable but adds a layer of sweet smoky flavour.     

Oatmeal is considered a whole grain powerhouse and helps reduce bad cholesterol.  Doctors recommend eating it daily so if porridge or granola is no longer rocking your boat, Oatmeal Molasses Bread is a wonderful substitute.

Nutrient-rich molasses is high in iron, calcium and potassium. Though it is a sugar, it's low on the glycemic index, causes fewer spikes in blood sugar and can be a healthier option for diabetics. 

The recipe calls for spelt flour but common wheat can also be used. Replacing 1/3 of the flour with wholemeal adds more health-giving fibre.

Cost:  £3-ish
Makes: one good sized loaf plus 5-6 rolls but recipe halves nicely

Ingred:
    14oz/390 gm plain spelt flour OR 9.5oz/275 gm white + and 4oz/115gm wholemeal 
    3oz/90g oatmeal, blitzed in a blender till fine if poss
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp salt

     4oz/113gm cold butter, in small cubes

    400ml buttermilk* LESS 1/4 cup/60ml
    1/4 cup/60ml molasses
    1 extra large egg, beaten

    Optional extras: zest of an orange
                            generous couple of handfuls sunflower seeds

    Garnish: oatmeal

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375f/190c/170fan/gas5; lay a strip of greaseproof paper along the bottom of the bread tin, overlapping the sides; if the tin is metal, grease the sides 
2. Mix dry ingred in a large bowl; add butter and rub together (or process) until butter resembles peas
3. If using orange zest/sunflower seeds, add here; mix
4. Whisk buttermilk, molasses & egg; beware molasses sitting on the bottom
5. Make a well in the dry ingred; add liquid, stir well until it is absorbed (this may take a few mins); the mix will be thick and unwieldy
6. If making a medium loaf & several rolls divide dough in 2
7. If making a good-sized loaf and a few rolls, divide dough accordingly
8. Scrape mix into bread tin; sprinkle with oatmeal
9. Roll the rest of the dough onto a heavily floured board; scrape together, blending in extra flour; cut into fingers
10. Bake bread for 45 mins, turning the tray once; release bread to check underside; if it does not sound hollow when tapped, cook a further 10 mins bottom side up
11. Bake rolls 30-40 mins

Comments:
'The bread is lovely and moist. Its only drawback is it's a bit crumbly but ...once you start you want to eat it all.'  Middle aged political agent
''The roll is sweet; I really like it. It feels weighty but doesn't eat heavily.  I never normally eat bread like a snack but this I was happy to.' 20-something fund raiser

Tips:

• replace buttermilk with 3/4 0-fat yoghurt plus 1/4 water Or, in a pinch,   milk plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, left 15 mins (fortified plant milks also work well here)
• the bread is excellent thickly sliced, in a toaster, OR under the grill
• it perfectly complements strong cheeses - double Gloucester with chives and onion OR Gorgonzola OR Cambozola  

More free-of-common wheat on Nav Bar: Recipes II  (bottom page)

                        

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.