Bread making is a labour of love. It takes a lot of time and patience, but it is highly rewarding. I am guessing that being a mother and baking bread are quite similar in that way. As far as I’m concerned, for all their dedication, stretchmarks, and child induced headaches, mothers deserve sainthood… or at least the occasional shopping spree at Nieman’s, ya know? Today’s recipe is dedicated to all the American moms out there who are celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend. So what are your plans after you finish your ironing, vacuuming, cleaning, cooking and picking up after your darlings with a pooper scooper LOL? Here’s hoping that your children remember to give you the day of appreication that you deserve. Just in case they don’t, you might want to make this bread anyway. It fills the house with the most delicious aromas. Just imagine the satisfaction of slathering a nice big helping of creamy butter onto some freshly baked fruity bread… and then not sharing it! Ah… bliss. Fresh baked bliss. Now that must be what the Pillsbury Dough Boy means when he talks about “lovin from the oven”!
This is a Dan Lepard recipe from the Guardian.
Cranberry Oat Bread
- 75g rolled oats, plus extra for the crust
- 175g dried cranberries
- 450g strong white flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or mixed spice
- finely grated zest of 1 mandarin, clementine, or orange
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- oil for kneading
Put the oats and cranberries in a bowl and add 375ml of boiling water. Leave for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is warm. Soon the flour, salt, spice and zest into another bowl, rub in the butter, toss the yeast through, then add the oats and berries, and mix well. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
OIl your hands and a 30cm patch of worktop. Knead dough on it for 10 seconds, then leave for ten minutes to rest. Repeat this knead-and-rest sequence twice more at 10 minute intervals, then cover the dough and leave for 30 minutes. Pat the dough into a rectangle, roll up tightly and squeeze, seam-siide down into a large, deep 19cm loaf tin, or place in a baking tray lined with non-stick paper. Leave for an hour until risen by half. Heat the oven to 220C/425F. Brush the top of the loaf with water, press on a handful of oats. Cut a gash down the middle and bake for 50 minutes. It will scorch on top, but that’s typical for fruit bread.
Happy Mother’s Day!
That is one stunning bread! Why am I afraid of baking bread when people like you make it look so delightfully simple?
I haven’t summoned the courage to bake bread at home yet, nor to procreate…but thankfully I still have a few years on my biological clock left. Kudos to you for making this. Looks delish, especially with that butter ; )
What a lovely piece of bread, perfect for Mother’s Day!
For me that butter above is that melting piece of love which every Mother stores in their heart for their children! Great!
The melted butter on that slice of bread looks so gooood!!! I’d say all women with motherly qualities deserve a piece of that bread!
Happy mother’s day! This cranberry oat bread is stunning and scrumptious!! Thanks for sharing the recipe..
Sawadee from Bangkok,
Kris
Oh, I’m looking at those slices of cranberry bread before I have my morning tea and how I wish I could take a bite!
This bread looks fantastic! Hope you had a beautiful holiday!