This multigrain cottage bread includes oats, wheat, wheat germ, wheat bran, and cornmeal to create a hearty delicious loaf.

I love the unusual shape of the bread. You form two dough balls and place one on top of the other before baking. It's up to you how you want to slice it!

The shape is supposed to recreate the way the American pioneers shaped their loaves before baking them in cast iron pots over campfires. I have a bread genius friend who still does this when he camps, stacking cast iron posts to bake several loaves.

This bread was chosen by Cathy of Bread Experience for the Bread Baking Babes' bake this month. Acknowledging that early Americans probably didn't have instant yeast, she's also provided a sourdough version of the recipe. She originally found the recipe on the Red Star Yeast site.

This bread is delicious sliced and slathered in salted butter. It also makes excellent toast topped with a fried egg or spread with avocado.

How to make this bread:

Combine the flours, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk. In another bowl or large measuring cup, combine the water, oil, and honey and then pour the combination over the flour mixture.

Next, mix with the dough hook (you can also knead by hand) until everything is smooth.

You will need to let the dough rise for an hour, stretch and fold the dough, and let it rise another hour.

Cut off 1/3 of the dough and form each dough piece into a ball. I used a large soufflé dish (about 9 inches across) to bake the bread, and I lined the bottom with a piece of parchment paper.

Next, you place the larger piece of dough in the center of the dish and, using a sharp knife, cut an "X" on top as shown below.

After than, brush the cavity with water and top the dough with the other dough ball. Using your finger or the handle of a wooden spoon, poke a hole all the way through to the bottom of the pot through the center of the dough. This will help keep the top piece from falling over.

Cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap and let rise. Watch it closely as it rises pretty quickly during the second rise.

Right before baking the loaf, push your finger back through the hole to secure it, and slash the top with a sharp knife or bread lame eight times. You can also slash the bottom ball in a pattern. I tried, but had a little trouble reaching the dough.

According to Cathy, this slashing pattern is common in these breads.

You bake the bread in the pot in a 375 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

After the recipe, be sure to check out everyone's version of this bread!

Early American Cottage Bread

Early American Cottage Bread

Yield: 16 servings

Author: Karen Kerr

This multigrain cottage bread includes oats, wheat, wheat germ, wheat bran, and cornmeal to create a hearty delicious loaf.

Ingredients:

• 286 grams (2 1/4 cups) bread flour
• 120 grams (1 cup) whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 30 grams (1/4 cup) wheat bran
• 30 grams (1/4 cup) rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons corn meal
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons honey

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
2. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a 2 cup measuring cup and pour them over the dry ingredients. 
3. Mix with the dough hook (or knead by hand) until you have a smooth dough, about 7 minutes. 
4. Let the dough rise, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour. Stretch and fold the dough over itself and re-cover the bowl. Let rise an additional hour. 
5. Cut off 1/3 of the dough from the risen dough and form each piece into a ball. 
6. Line the bottom of a 9 inch round soufflé dish or casserole with parchment paper. Place the large ball in the center of the dish and cut a large "X" on top (see photo in post). 
7. Brush the cut section with water and place the smaller ball on top of the slashes. 
8. Poke your finger or the handle of a wooden spoon down the center of the two dough balls all the way through to the bottom. Cover the dish loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
9. Check the dough at 30 to 45 minutes with the finger dent test to see if it's ready. 
10. Bake the loaf for 35 to 40 minutes, until the interior reaches about 195 degrees F. 
11. Remove from the dish and cool on a wire rack. 

Calories
136.72

Fat (grams)
2.55

Sat. Fat (grams)
0.26

Carbs (grams)
25.53

Fiber (grams)
2.57

Net carbs
22.96

Sugar (grams)
3.37

Protein (grams)
4.20

Sodium (milligrams)
200.56

Cholesterol (grams)
0.00

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2020/05/early-american-cottage-bread.html

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