Oat bread made easy: A beginner's guide to fresh homemade loaves

Are you afraid of making homemade bread? I know the arguments well: that it takes a lot of work, that it doesn't always turn out right, and that store-bought bread isn't bad. I used to think so, too. However, oat bread will work, even if you don't have much experience with bread baking. It always turns out well, and its taste is incomparable to store-bought products.

Oat bread is a variation of traditional bread, for which oat flour is used with the addition of wheat and potato flour. Oat flour can also be combined with rice and buckwheat flour to make it gluten-free. Oat flour is made from coarsely ground oats and has a light, creamy colour with a slightly nutty flavour. What are its advantages? It tastes good to everyone, doesn't crumble, is easy to slice, and stays fresh for a long time.

This type of bread stands out for not being dry but rather moist and has a fluffy consistency. For beginners, homemade bread is important; it is baked without the addition of sourdough. Instead, dry yeast is needed. Another advantage? It contains a lot of fibre and valuable vitamins and minerals. It goes well with many additions, such as flaxseed, black cumin, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds. Its slices go well with savoury toppings but taste great with honey or preserves.

Ingredients:

• 375 mL of warm water,
• 200 grams of oat flour,
• 200 grams of whole wheat flour,
• 100 grams of potato flour,
• 10 grams of instant yeast,
• 2 tablespoons of rolled oats,
• black cumin seeds, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds (optional, to taste),
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil,
• 2 level teaspoons of salt,
• 1 teaspoon of honey.

Preparation method:

1. Combine the wheat, oat, potato flour, salt, and dry yeast in a bowl and mix well.
2. Pour in the water, olive oil, honey, and any chosen additions. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and form a uniform dough.
3. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside in a warm place for 2 hours (Eastern Time).
4. Transfer the risen dough to a baking tin lined with parchment paper. Smooth the top and sprinkle with rolled oats.
5. Set aside the bread to rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Place the tin in the oven preheated to 175°C and bake for about 50 minutes.
7. Remove the tin from the oven and set it aside for a few minutes. Once it has cooled slightly, carefully remove the bread from the tin and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely.