Brown Bread (Baked) Recipe
Brown bread, especially when baked, is a classic comfort food that brings warmth and a sense of tradition to the table. This hearty loaf, made with a blend of Indian meal, rye meal, and a touch of molasses, offers a rich, earthy flavor with a subtle sweetness. It’s perfect for breakfast, as a side dish, or even as a snack. Let’s explore how to create this delicious and rustic bread from scratch.
Ingredients:
- 1 cupful of Indian meal (cornmeal): This coarsely ground cornmeal adds a distinct texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor to the bread. It also contributes to the bread's golden color and hearty consistency.
- 1 cupful of molasses (scant): Molasses provides the bread with its characteristic deep sweetness and dark color. It’s important to use just under a full cup to balance the sweetness without overwhelming the other flavors.
- 1 cupful of rye meal: Rye meal, which is ground from rye grain, brings a robust and slightly tangy taste to the bread. It also adds density, making the loaf more filling.
- 1/2 cupful of flour: All-purpose flour helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the bread a bit more structure. It also lightens the texture slightly, making the loaf easier to slice.
- 1 cupful of milk or water: The choice between milk and water can slightly alter the texture and flavor of the bread. Milk will make the bread richer and more tender, while water will give it a more traditional, rustic feel.
- 1 teaspoonful of soda (baking soda): Baking soda is essential for leavening, helping the bread to rise and giving it a lighter, airier texture. It reacts with the acidity of the molasses, creating bubbles that lift the dough during baking.
Procedure:
Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Start by mixing the Indian meal, rye meal, and flour in a large bowl. Stir these dry ingredients together thoroughly to ensure an even distribution. This step is crucial for achieving a consistent texture in the final loaf, where each bite delivers the right balance of flavors.
Activate the Soda: In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, combine the baking soda with the molasses. Stir the mixture until the molasses begins to foam. This reaction indicates that the soda is properly activated and will provide the necessary lift when the bread bakes. The foaming also ensures that the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the bread.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the foaming molasses mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the cupful of milk or water, depending on your preference. Milk will make the bread softer, while water will keep it closer to traditional brown bread’s slightly denser texture. Stir the mixture gently but thoroughly until all the ingredients are fully combined. The batter should be thick but pourable, similar to a cake batter.
Prepare for Baking: If you have a tin pail, this is the ideal baking vessel for this recipe, as it mimics the traditional method used to bake brown bread. Grease the inside of the pail well to prevent sticking. Pour the batter into the prepared pail, filling it about two-thirds of the way to allow space for the bread to rise. Cover the pail tightly with its lid or with a piece of aluminum foil.
Bake the Bread: Preheat your oven to a moderate temperature, around 325°F (160°C). Place the covered pail in the oven and bake for two and a half hours. The long, slow baking time allows the flavors to develop fully and the bread to cook evenly. During baking, the bread will rise and set, creating a moist and tender loaf with a dense crumb.
Cool and Serve: After baking, remove the pail from the oven and let it cool slightly before removing the bread. The bread should have a firm texture and a rich, brown color. Slice the bread thickly and serve warm, perhaps with a pat of butter or a drizzle of honey, to complement its deep, molasses-rich flavor.
Approximate Calorie Count:
This baked brown bread is relatively dense and filling, with each slice providing about 150-200 calories, depending on the size of the slice and whether you use milk or water. A loaf typically yields about 10-12 slices, so the entire loaf would be around 1500-2400 calories. The molasses contributes a significant portion of the calories, along with the Indian meal and rye meal.