Whole wheat Honey & Oats Bread

Few time back I came across honey and oats bread, I was amazed to see the result when i read the recipe, the bread I saw was so nicely baked with so beautiful crust, and texture. The only mistake I did, I forgot to bookmark the link where I read that..phew!!

After shifting here in Hong Kong, I rarely buy breads from outside, mostly I bake whole wheat sandwich bread once or sometimes twice a week..I'll soon post the recipe for the same. But for now let me come back to my honey and oats bread. Well after not marking the link, I was looking for similar recipe.  And after lots of reads I came up with my own healthier version by using equal qty of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I have kept 50:50 ratio of each. May be next time I'll change a bit of this ratio, 60:40. 

Aaahhhh the aroma in my kitchen, it will surely lift up the bakers mood. So aromatic, am happie happy..!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup rolled 5 grain cereal oats (semi grinded) (you can use instant oats too) 

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup Honey

1/2 cup warm milk

3/4 cup warm water

2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

4 tbsp melted butter or margarine 

Light olive oil for greasing the kneaded dough

For brushing bread top : 2 tbsp of melted warm honey ( not boiling hot)

And about 2 tbsp of oats to sprinkle on top

Method

In a large bowl, mix all purpose flour with whole wheat flour, semi grind oats and salt. Mix the mixture well.

In a small measuring container or cup, stir warm milk, warm water, melted butter or margarine, honey and yeast together, until yeast dissolves. Keep it aside for 2-3 minutes, until mixture turns frothy. (By mistake I added butter to the flour)

Mix the liquid yeast mixture in the flour mixture bowl.

Bring all the ingredients together to form a sticky dough.

Sprinkle some flour on your work surface.

Bring the sticky dough on to that surface, knead it for 10-15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes of kneading it should be soft smooth and non sticky.

Pop the dough into the oil greased bowl, cover it with tea towel or plastic cling film.

Allow it to rest in warm and dark place for 1 to 2 hrs, until it doubles in volume.

Once it has doubled up, bring the dough to the work surface and punch it down to release the gas inside.

Shape the dough in to a loaf and pop it inside your loaf tin lined with parchment paper.

Again cover it with a tea towel and allow it to rise second time for 35-40 minutes, or until it has risen well an doubled in volume. 

When the dough is nearly doubled, preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius with 2-3 cup of water in a bowl placed in lower rack of the oven for good steam inside.

While the oven is preheating, warm the honey a little. 

Brush the warm honey on to the risen loaf and sprinkle the oats on it.

Once the preheating is done, bake the loaf at 180 degree Celsius for 40-50 minutes in preheated oven, until it gets deep golden brown crust on top. Sit back and enjoy the aroma of the bread in your house. 

Once done, bring it out carefully and allow it to cool on wire rack.

And the star is here...beautifulllllll