Bread of the Month Club: February

February's bread is Anadama Bread.

This is a bread that has cornmeal along with white flour, sweetened with molasses. I found a new version of this recipe in the April/May 2014 issue of Cook's Country. I enjoy this magazine because not only do they test the recipe in every way possible to find the best results, they tell you why they do what they do.

This recipe is pretty simple and doesn't have many ingredients: cornmeal, water, molasses, butter, flour, yeast, salt. It's fitting that I send this bread to my sister and her family in Boston because this is a traditional "New-England classic," says Cook's Country.

Anadama Bread

1 c. cornmeal, plus more for dusting your loaf pans

2 c. warm water

1/2 c. molasses

5 T. butter, melted

5 1/2 c. (27 1/2 oz.) all purpose flour

1 T. yeast

2 1/2 t. salt

Grease and dust with cornmeal, two loaf pans.

Whisk together water, molasses  and melted butter until combined; set aside.

In a stand mixer combine cornmeal, flour, yeast and salt. Mix with dough hook attachment on mixer, until combined.

With mixer on low, pour in molasses mixture. Increase the mixer to medium speed and mix for 6-8 minutes more. (My dough was on the verge of coming out the mixing bowl, so I took out the dough and kneaded it on the counter.)

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for one minute.

Grease the bowl (I pour in a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil) and put dough in the bowl, remembering to turn it over, so that the top is oiled.

Cover with a cloth and let rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (I put mine next to our gas stove and let it rise the full 1 1/2 hours.)

Punch down the dough and divide in half. (I have a kitchen scale and weigh out my dough because my eye has given me some pretty lopsided halves.) Form the dough and place in your prepared pans.

Cover with a cloth again and let rise until the tops have come over the side of your pans about an inch. This will take another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Twenty minutes before the loaves are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

When ready, put loaves in the oven and turn oven down to 375. Bake for 35-45 minutes, switching the pans around halfway.

To be sure, take the bread's temperature and if it is 200 degrees it's done, or when the crust is brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool the loaves on a wire rack and if you can help it, let them cool for two hours before slicing.

 



I hope you will give this recipe a try! It is great for sandwiches or as toast. The crumb is fine and you can taste the sweet molasses in each bite. Because this recipe makes two loaves, I have one to give and have one to keep!

Heat up the kitchen and turn on the oven <3