Anadama Bread

A hearty, delicious winter bread perfect for snowy and rainy days.

Recipe accompanying Anna, Dammit

Ingredients

• 1 packet active dry yeast (7g)

• ½ cup warm water (120 ml)

• ½ cup milk (120 ml)

• ¼ cup corn meal or polenta (30g)

• 2 cups bread/strong flour (260g)

  • Set aside ½ cup to use in first step

• ¼ cup molasses (85g)

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ stick or ¼ cup butter (57g)

  • Cut into small cubes and at room temperature

• Oil for greasing the bowl and loaf pan

Method

• In a large bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast (1packet/7g) in warm water (½ cup/120ml) by whisking until dissolved and add in ½ cup of the strong/bread flour and let sit for about 30 mins in a warm, dry place

• Make the cornmeal: heat the milk (½ cup/120ml) in a small sauce pan over medium heat and whisk in the corn meal/polenta (¼ cup/30g)

• Whisk continuously on medium/low heat for about 4 minutes until you essentially have par-cooked polenta

• Once your water/yeast/flour combination has soaked for 30 minutes, and your cornmeal is cool to the touch, add in the corn meal (it’s okay if it has become stiff and lumpy) whisk by hand for five minutes, or if you’re using a stand mixer beat on low speed with the padel attachment for a few minutes

• Add in the molasses (¼ cup/85g)

  • Molasses is the worst liquid(ish) substance to work with, work patiently and allow for spills and stickiness along the way. I usually use a very small spoon to spoon it into a ¼ cup measurement tool, and then once it is full I use the same spoon to scoop it out into the other ingredients, slow like molasses is a saying for a reason, so be prepared that this might take some time

• Add the remaining strong/bread flour (1 ½ cup/188g) and salt (1 tsp) into the large bowl or stand mixer

  • If making by hand, mix with a spoon for about 3 minutes until fully incorporated

  • If using a stand mixer use the padel attachment for about 2 minutes to fully incorporate

  • Tip: If the dough seems dry at first, keep mixing it, a lot of delayed hydration comes from the cornmeal so keep at it until all the flour is absorbed from the bottom of the bowl

• Switch to a dough hook on your stand mixer, or use a lightly floured clean work surface to knead out the dough by hand, kneed for at least 5 minutes, adding in the butter (½ stick/57g) piece-by-piece as you work

Proof the Dough

• Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough, in a loose round, into the bowl, rotating so that it is fully covered in a tiny layer of oil

• Use a slightly damp kitchen towel to cover the bowl and place in a warm, dry place to let rise for 1hr

  • I like to blast my oven with some heat for one minute, then turn it off and put my bowl in there for the dough to rise

• Uncover and remove the dough, kneading a couple of times on a floured surface before forming into a loose round and covering with the kitchen towel for fifteen minutes

• Prepare a loaf pan by greasing it either with non-stick spray or neutral oil

• Form a loaf and place into the loaf pan, cover and allow to proof for another 30 mins

• Remove the cloth, slash the top with a sharp knife and allow to sit for 15 more mins

  • Optional: you can add an egg wash to this loaf but it is not necessary

Bake the Bread

• Preheat the oven to 375F/190C

• When the dough has finished its final proof, and the oven is fully preheated, place the loaf pan on the middle rack

• Bake for 20 minutes

• Rotate the loaf pan back-to-front and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

  • Try not to over bake this dough, the bread is at it’s best when it’s nice and soft

• Carefully overturn the loaf pan and remove the bread, the bottom of the loaf should sound hollow when you tap it

• Allow to cool on a wire wrack

Pairing suggestion:

• This bread is beautiful toasted, slathered with butter and tart raspberry jam

• As mentioned in the story, it makes lovely peanut butter toast

Enjoy!