This bread has long been a family favorite when baked in the oven. I tried it in a 14-inch dutch oven for ScoutJam 100 this weekend and it was even better.
Ingredients:- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup butter
- 5 1/2-6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tablespoon water
- Oatmeal for sprinkling
Preparation:Place water, honey, and margarine in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until mixture is very warm (120-130 degrees fahrenheit)
Place 5 cups flour, oats, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed about 15 seconds. Continuing on low speed, gradually add warm mixture to flour mixture and mix about 1 minute. Add eggs and mix about 1 minute longer.
Continuing on low speed, add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.
Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk,
Punch dough down and press evenly into the bottom of a well-oiled 14-inch dutch oven. Let rise again until doubled in bulk.
Beat egg white and water together with a fork. Brush the top of the loaf with the mixture. Sprinkle with oatmeal.
Cover and bake with 8-10 briquettes bottom heat and 14-16 briquettes top heat for 40 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the oven and lid 90 degrees in opposite directions every 10-15 minutes. Run a spatula around the edge of the oven to release the loaf. Remove the bread from the dutch oven, slice, and serve warm with butter and honey.
Yields 32 servings--it's a huge loaf!