Food Storage Friday: Four-Grain Batter Bread

Brittany here. Question: What do you do when you run out of store-bought bread and you have a food storage post to do at the same time?

Answer: Try out a fast new recipe, of course.

This four-grain batter bread, courtesy of my Betty Crocker cookbook, is a quick and simple answer to a yeast bread when you don't have the time/energy/desire to knead and wait.

Ingredients: cornmeal, white flour, wheat flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, yeast, milk (reconstituted from powder), water, wheat germ, oats (the recipe called for quick, but I used old-fashioned and didn't have any problem)

Grease two pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.

In a large bowl, mix 2 c. white flour, 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I used white wheat), 2 T. sugar, 1 t. salt, 1/4 t. baking soda, and 4 1/2 t. yeast. NOTE: The recipe actually called for this entire amount of flour to be white, but since I wanted to use half wheat, I increased the yeast and baking soda amounts a bit to compensate. I'm not sure if that was a good idea or not.

Heat 2 c. milk and 1/2 c. water in microwave/stove until very warm. Add to dry ingredients.

Beat on low until incorporated and then on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Then, stir in the other three grains of the "four-grain batter": 1/2 c. whole wheat, 1/2 c. wheat germ, 1/2 c. oats, and enough of the original whole wheat flour (I added another cup or so) to make a stiff batter. I think I added a bit too much flour, but it turned out pretty decently.

Divide batter into pans, mold as needed, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes or until batter is about 1 inch below top of pans.
.These crowned over, but as you can see, they didn't rise much more in the oven, so my personal opinion is that it's okay to let them rise above the top.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Remove to rack and cool. Brush with melted butter, if desired. Enjoy!

Four-Grain Batter Bread courtesy of Betty Crocker

cornmeal
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. to 2 3/4 c. white wheat flour
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/ 4 t. baking soda
4 1/2 t. yeast
2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oats

1. Grease two 8 1/2x4 1/2 pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.
2. Mix 2 c. all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 c. wheat flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, yeast in large bowl. Heat milk and water until very warm. Add milk mix to dry ingredients. Beat with mixer on low until incorporated, then beat on medium for about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in remaining 1/2 c. wheat flour, wheat germ, oats, and enough of original whole wheat amount to make a stiff batter. Divide batter between pans and round tops as needed. Sprinkle with cornmeal and cover to rise for about 30 minutes or until batter is about 1 inch below top of pans.
4. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes until light brown in color. Remove to wire rack and let cool.