Our food editors especially liked the unusually soft and light texture of this oatmeal bread.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups oats. Stir in hot water and let mixture stand until lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 5 cups flour and salt, stirring until mixture forms a dough, and turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough 10 minutes, adding as much of remaining cup of flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough, and let rest, covered with an inverted bowl, 15 minutes.
Step 2
Lightly oil 2 loaf pans, 9 by 5 by 3 inches. Form dough into 2 loaves and transfer to pans. Brush surface of dough with egg and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup oats. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Step 4
Bake bread in middle of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until browned and bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Turn bread out onto racks to cool completely.
