Black Bran Bread Recipes

BLACK BEAN DIP

Steps:

• Puree two 14-ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed), 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup each olive oil and lemon juice, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in 1/4 cup warm water. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine remaining 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water and molasses. Sprinkle yeast over top, stir, and let stand 5 minutes.
• Add honey, flours, cocoa, and salt to yeast mixture. Attach bowl to stand mixer fitted the dough-hook attachment and beat on low speed 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-low and beat until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 3 minutes (or knead by hand 15 to 20 minutes).
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead by hand, turning dough over, 4 to 5 times before shaping into a ball. Transfer dough, smooth-side up, to a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Set one half aside, loosely covered with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Shape remaining half into a 9-inch rectangle, with a short side parallel to work surface. Fold top third of dough towards center, then fold bottom third of dough on top, pressing gently to seal. Turn dough 90 degrees and repeat folding process, pinching seam and sides closed. Place seam-side down and roll dough back and forth with palms of hands to form a loaf about 12 inches long with tapered ends. Repeat shaping process with remaining half of dough. Sprinkle a clean cotton cloth with cornmeal and place loaves on top, spacing about 6 inches apart. Loosely cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with a pizza stone on rack in lower third and a skillet or baking pan on lowest rack, 30 minutes. Transfer loaves to a pizza peel or unrimmed baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Brush tops with egg white. Using a lame (baker?s blade), razor blade, or serrated knife, make four diagonal cuts, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, across each loaf. Slide loaves from peel onto stone. If not using a stone, slide loaves onto a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Quickly pour boiling water into preheated skillet to create steam. Bake until loaves are dark brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottoms, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to a wire rack; let cool completely.

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients into the bread machine in order suggested by the manufacturer.
• Use the whole wheat, regular crust setting.
• After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on a cake rack, and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• Combine flours. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix 2 1/3 cups flour mixture, sugar, salt, cereal, caraway seed, coffee powder, onion powder, fennel seed and undissolved yeast.
• In a sauce pan combine 2 1/2 cups water, vinegar, molasses, chocolate and butter.
• Heat liquid mixture over low heat until liquids are very warm (120°-130°F), butter and chocolate do not have to be melted.
• Gradually add heated liquid mixture to dry ingredients and beat (with electric mixer) for 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1/2 cup flour mixture. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough additional flour mixture to make a soft dough. Turn dough on to a lightly floured board. Cover dough and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 10-15 minutes), dough may be sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning dough to grease the top. Cover bowl and place in a warm, draft free place to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
• Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured board. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a ball, about 5 inches in diameter. Place each ball into the center of a greased 8-inch round cake pan. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, or until done.
• Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and cold water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture stats to boil; continue cooking mixture for 1 minute stirring constantly.
• As soon as bread is baked, brush cornstarch mixture over top of loaves. Return bread to oven and bake 2-3 minutes longer, or until glaze is set. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire racks.
• **I have made this recipe both"as is" and also omitting the fennel seeds and onion powder. Omitting the fennel seed and onion powder changes the flavor a bit, but it is still a very good bread.

HIGH FLAVOR BRAN BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients in order indicated by your manufacturer. Select the whole wheat or whole grain setting.

OLD-WORLD DARK BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. In a saucepan, heat 2-1/2 cups water, molasses, butter, vinegar and chocolate to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a ball. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. , In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and remaining water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Brush over bread.

BLACK BRAN BREAD

Steps:

• Set aside 1 cup all-purpose flour from total amount.
• Mix remaining flours, undissolved yeast, wheat bran cereal, caraway seeds, salt and coffee in a large bowl.
• In a sauce pot heat water, molasses, vinegar, butter and chocolate until very warm, 120 - 130 degrees F.
• Stir liquids into dry ingredients. Mix in enough reserved flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to the bowl.
• Turn onto floured surface and knead 5 minutes. Shape into smooth ball; transfer to a greased baking sheet.
• Loosely cover dough; let rise 40 minutes, or until almost double in size.
• Beat egg white and water; brush on surface of bread.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.