Maritimers have a special relationship with molasses. Maybe it’s the cold, the ocean-tossed, barren rocks that means we need that little extra sweetness in our life, but Maritimers grow up slathering molasses on everything. If maple syrup is liquid gold, then this stuff is liquid bronze. It goes on plain crackers. Bread and butter. On tea biscuits next to Kraft Dinner. With beans. In cookies (recipe coming next week! Just you wait!). In this bread.
We call it ‘brown bread’ – apparently the rest of the universe thinks that ‘brown bread’ means ‘whole wheat’, and I would just like to inform you that you are wrong. Brown bread is thick, sticky, made with oatmeal and molasses and slathered in butter. The perfect comfort food.
And if last week’s soup is any indication, I’m deep into comfort food mode.
It’s moist and soft, and smells like… like the molasses cookies I’m going to share next week (hype hype hype!).
When I get homesick while we’re traipsing around on this grand adventure of ours, this is what I’m homesick for. This bread. (OKAY, fine, my family too. I guess. Maybe.)
Best of all? It’s perfect for the breadmaker. It’s like… two minutes of work, tops. Minimum effort for maximum delicious.
Toss everything in the pan, except for the yeast…
Then make a well in the flour and put the yeast in it…
…toss it in the breadmaker and then WAIT FOR THE LONGEST THREE HOURS OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
Until it comes out.
Can you hear those angels singing?
It’s perfectly golden, gorgeous, and smells like heaven.
Slice it nice and thick…
If you want to stop here and just shove your entire face in the remaining loaf, I promise I won’t judge you. Seriously. Brown bread goalie mask. Give ‘er.
If you have a little more restraint, just slather it with butter and eat it a slice at a time like some sort of normal person. Just know that you are missing out on valuable life experiences.
My mum eats it with brown beans, but I love it just plain. Still warm from the breadmaker… all the butter melts and just oozes into every single crevice.
I could eat the whole loaf myself. Too bad I’d have to fight everyone in my house off!
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 4 cups flour
- 3 tsp yeast
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In your breadmaker pan, add the water, butter, salt, molasses, oatmeal and flour, in that order. Do not mix!
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Make a well in the flour and add the yeast, to keep it seperate from the water.
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Place in your breadmaker, set to 'medium' darkness, and '2 lb. loaf' settings.
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Wait until it's done! It was about 3.5 hours for my breadmaker.
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Remove from the breadmaker when done, and let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Then remove. If you leave it in the pan, it will get too moist on the outside of the loaf.
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Wait at least another 5 minutes so it will set before you cut yourself a giant slice.
