No-Knead Brown (& Raisin) Bread
It's the holiday season, and what better way to start a lazy morning than with delicious brown bread. Here's an easy way to make it!
I have no idea why, but I have always loved molasses. Perhaps it’s the rich history of molasses in the Atlantic provinces that connects back to when fish and lumber in were traded for things like molasses and rum in the West indies. Perhaps it’s due to the complex flavors that develop during the production of molasses. Perhaps it’s just good stuff!
I’ve written articles and made video on how to make bread, but I’ve never talked about brown bread or raisin bread. At least half the bread I make is brown bread - and it is so apropos for the holidays - so here’s a simple recipe for brown bread - with options to easily turn it into raisin bread.
Ingredients
1 cup boiled water
1/4 cup cold tap water
1/4 cup molasses1
1 heaping tsp salt2
1 tbsp butter (or margarine/oil/fat)*
1 egg*
1 tbsp yeast3
2 1/2 cups flour (+ 1 heaping tbsp)4
*These ingredients are optional;
Directions:
Place 1 tbsp of flour in a measuring cup and add about 1 tbsp of cold water. Mix together to make a paste.
Add a small amount (about 1 to 2 tbsp) of the boiled water, and mix with the paste; then add a little more, then mix, and so on until all the boiled water is mixed with the paste and there is a total of one cup of liquid in the measuring cup. Do this gradually or the paste will form a dumpling.
Add the molasses to the measuring cup, then add cold water until it is filled to 1 & 1/2 cup in total.
Pour the liquid into a mixing bowl, add salt, butter, egg and mix.
Add 1 cup of the flour and mix.
Add the yeast and mix.
Add the rest of flour and mix thoroughly. Dough should come away from the bowl and form a ball - if it is still too wet for this, continue to add flour in 1/4 cup increments until it does. If you have used a total of 3 cups of flour, stop adding flour no matter what! Also add about 3/4 cup of raisins and a tsp of cinnamon at this point if you want to make raisin bread.
With the proper ratio of flour to liquid, the dough should come away from the bowl, and it should form a ball that will hold together when lifted from the bowl. Cover and let it sit for 60 minutes or ideally, for 90 minutes.
Dough should have at least doubled in size by now. Stir vigorously to knock it back down for about 20 seconds. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes.
Stir vigorously to knock it back down for about 20 seconds, then put it in a greased loaf pan.
Pour hot water into the empty mixing bowl, and put it in the bottom of your oven. Position the oven rack at the middle of the oven, and put the loaf pan on the rack. Close the oven and let the bread rise for 15 to 30 minutes5.
Remove the mixing bowl, turn the oven to 375f, and set a timer for 45 minutes (yes, you are starting the bread in a cold oven - it’s ok it will be fine).
Remove the loaf pan after 45 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Brush the top of the loaf with butter. Congratulations - you just made brown bread!!!
Why the egg?
Adding the egg also helps the dough rise - but it’s a catch-22 type thing. Adding lift adds air, which makes the bread soft; however, adding the eggs adds protein, with makes the loaf stiffer. The egg also adds flavor and richness. It’s better with the egg in my opinion - but having no eggs or being on a low-cholesterol diet, or being vegan should not get in the way of enjoying nice bread - it’s still delicious without the egg! I leave the egg out al the time - it’s totally optional.
Why this works
The addition of the boiling water to the flour paste is a lazy version of “tanzhong” - a very clever Japanese technique that makes bread soft and fluffy. When flour and water are heated together, the starches in the flour absorb more moisture than uncooked flour. The result is a glue-like liquid to which the rest of the ingredients are added to make the bread. When this technique is used, breads tend to be softer and rise higher. I usually bake bread at 400f for 40 minutes, but with brown bread, due to the higher sugar content, the top and the raisins can burn at 400f, so I recommend 375f for 45 minutes.
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Here’s how to make it:
I usually use slightly less than 1/4. I consider 1/4 a maximum - if you go over that amount you run the risk of messing up the bread, as too much sugar can negatively affect yeast and gluten development,
The salt can be dialed down if desired - though I wouldn’t put less than 1/2 tsp. Every once and a while I forget to add the salt altogether and it really does affect the flavour.
All yeasts are not created equal so try different ones until you are satisfied with your results. Lately I’ve been using “Fleischmann’s Quick-Rise Yeast” with good results, but only because I can’t seem to find “Instaferm Yeast”, which I think yields the best tasting bread.
1/2 to 3/4 cup of rye or whole wheat flour can be substituted in here if desired. More can be used, but it will decrease how well the bread rises.
The timing of this final rise really depends on the yeast and other conditions. Some take longer than others. Generally, the dough should be just higher (about 1/4 “ or 1 cm) than the top of the loaf pan - just don’t let it rise too high or it will eventually fall apart and make a real mess in the oven, and it will not rise properly. Easiest way to get it right is to check after 15 minutes, then every 5 minutes until it has properly risen.