Blue Ribbon Honey Wheat Oat Bread

Did they just call my name? Looking at my husband’s face I knew I won 1st place in the Bob’s Red Mill Bread contest at the 2012 Clackamas Fair. I was so excited winning first out of 21 different breads entered in the contest. Recipes had to use one of Bob’s Red Mill flours and any other Bob’s Red Mill product so that was the start of my Honey Wheat Oat Bread. The special treats of raw pumpkin seeds, oats and wheat germ awaited the judges as they sliced the bread in half. Even though I also received a $100 gift card for Bob’s Red Mill (which I used one hour after the contest was over) my biggest prize was the Blue Ribbon!

Honey Wheat Oat Bread

3 tsp rapid rise yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour

4 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats

¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill wheat germ

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill raw pumpkin seeds

1 egg, beaten with a little water

2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill quick cooking rolled oats

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, set aside for a few minutes.

Combine milk, 1/4 cup water, butter, honey, salt and wheat flour in mixer bowl of a Kitchen Aid mixer. Mix in yeast mixture, and let rest 15 minutes. ( I place a towel over the bowl). Add bread flour, and process until dough forms a ball. You can leave in mixer on “2” mix for 8-10 minutes (add flour as needed if sticky) or hand knead for 10 minutes. (I prefer to hand knead and then you can feel if more flour is needed). Add in oats, wheat germ and pumpkin seeds. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 45 minutes, or until almost doubled. (I learn a trick from someone to turn your oven on to 400 for 1 minute and then turn off it works great) Place bowl in oven to rise. Do the same on the second rise too.

Punch down, and divide dough in half. Roll out each half, and pound out the bubbles. Form into loaves, and place in buttered 9×5 inch bread pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area (oven) until doubled; second rise should take about 30 minutes. Egg wash the top of each loaf and sprinkle on some oats.

Place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tops are dark golden brown. Slice when cool.