This bread is a yeasty sourdough version of Molasses Brown Bread. It's full of the same flavors as the classic bread and has the added benefits of needing no baking powder or baking soda. The sourdough version also has a more intense, interesting flavor thanks to the sourdough starter/discard. The bread is lightly sweetened with a combination of dark brown sugar and molasses, and it gets a bit of extra sweetness from raisins. This is a hearty bread, not a light and airy loaf. The Sourdough Molasses Raisin Bran Bread is full of nutrition thanks to whole-wheat flour and the raisin bran in the dough. I like the not-too-sweet bread for breakfast, and it's also great alongside a big bowl of soup. Or try the bread with cheese--cheddar goes well--for a substantial snack. Enjoy!
Sourdough Molasses Raisin Bran Bread -- Makes 2 Loaves
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
2 large eggs
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1/4 cup of molasses
1 cup of raisin bran (yes, the cereal, any brand you like)
1/4 cup of raisins
1 cup of whole-wheat flour
In a large bowl beat together well the starter/discard, eggs, oil, milk, brown sugar, and molasses. Stir in the raisin bran, raisins, and whole wheat flour until completely incorporated (you can beat them in, if you want). Loosely cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour (4-5 hours is just fine, too, which is what I usually do). When you're ready, add the following to the mixture:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt (you can add 1/2 teaspoon more if you're not watching your sodium)
Knead the mixture for 3-5 minutes, kneading in about 1/2 cup additional of all-purpose flour to prevent the dough from being too sticky. Divide the dough into two pieces and shape each piece into a small loaf shape. Spray two medium loaf pans (about 5- X 8-inches) with non-stick cooking spray (or line the loaf pans with aluminum foil and spritz the foil with non-stick spray for easier removal) and place a dough loaf in each pan. Spritz the tops of the dough loaves with non-stick cooking spray and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it increases in volume by about one-third. The dough is heavy and won't rise a lot. I have a relatively cool kitchen, so I usually let the dough rise for 3-4 hours, but the time will vary depending on the conditions in your kitchen. You can also refrigerate the dough overnight, pull it from the refrigerator to continue rising, and bake it the next day. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the loaves for 40-45 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of about 190-200 degrees. Let the loaves cool in their pans for 5-10 minutes before removing them to cool completely. The loaves will slice best after they have cooled.
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