Colonial Bread Recipes

COLONIAL YEAST BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cornmeal, sugar or honey, salt, boiling water and oil. Let cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile, dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand 5 minutes. Stir into cornmeal mixture. Add whole wheat flour, rye flour and enough all-purpose flour to form a stiff dough. Turn out onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic; about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch dough down. Divide into two balls. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into two loaves and place in two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack.

TRADITIONAL COTTAGE LOAF - OLD FASHIONED RUSTIC ENGLISH BREAD

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a bowl, stir in sugar and yeast. Make a well in the centre, stir in the tepid milk and water to make the dough. (If using fresh yeast - put the yeast in a jug with a little of the milk and water mixture, and allow it to dissolve and become frothy - mixing thoroughly, then add it to the flour.).
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 to 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Put the dough in a large, clean, oiled bowl. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size.Then knead the dough for 1 minute and divide it into two-thirds and a third. Shape the pieces into rounds. Cover them and leave for 5 minutes.
• Put the smaller round on top of the larger one. Push a floured wooden spoon (or your fingers) through the centre of both rounds, to join them together. Take a very sharp knife and make cuts all around the top round and the bottom round - see my photos. Put the cottage loaf on a lightly floured baking tray, cover and leave for about 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220C/440F/Gas 7.
• Beat the egg with a tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt. Brush the glaze over the cottage loaf and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes, until dark golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped beneath.
• Cool before slicing. Delicious served with butter, jam, cheese, cold meats or make sandwiches or toast for picnics and breakfast!

COLONIAL BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in buttermilk, and stir until all of the dry mixture has been absorbed. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans.
• Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Serve warm. Store leftover bread wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. This reheats well.

COLONIAL BREAD

Steps:

• Combine cornmeal, brown sugar, salt, and cooking oil and boiling water. Let cool to lukewarm. While waiting, mix yeast in the lukewarm water. Pour yeast mixture into the cornmeal mixture. Stir in rye flour, whole wheat flour, and as much of the white flour as you need to make the dough stiff. Knead dough for 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turn once. Let rise for 50-60 minutes. Punch down (literally punch once). Turn out on flour surface. Let rest for 10 minutes. Split into two loves. Make them round. Let rise for 30-45 min. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes (until it sounds hollow). If you want a good crust, but a cast iron pan with water in it, in the over with the bread for the first 25 min.

COLONIAL BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the whole wheat flour, regular flour, brown sugar, and soda.
• Slowly add the buttermilk till blended.
• Put into a greased loaf pan.
• 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

COLONIAL BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Stir first 13 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk and molasses in small bowl. Mix into dry ingredients.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out loaves onto racks and cool.(Can be made one day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic; store at room temperature.)
• *Sold at natural food stores, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.