- 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] warm [approximately 110°F / 44°C] water
- 1 teaspoon [5 g] sugar
- 2 [1 tablespoon / 7 g each] packs active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] wheat germ
- 1 1/2 tablespoons [22.5 mL] salt
- 1/3 cup [75 g] butter
- 2 cups [500 mL] boiling water
- 1 cup [250 mL] molasses
- 2 cups [500 mL] whole-wheat flour
- 5 to 6 cups [700 to 840 g] all-purpose flour
- Melted butter
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- Pour warm water into a small bowl; stir in sugar and then sprinkle with active dry yeast.
- Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes, to dissolve yeast.
- Into a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, wheat germ, salt and butter.
- Pour in boiling water, stirring to completely melt butter.
- Then stir in molasses; cool to lukewarm.
- Blend in yeast mixture, whole-wheat flour and then all-purpose flour, 2 cups [280 g] at a time.
- When dough becomes too sticky to stir, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead, sprinkling more flour, a little at a time, until dough is no longer sticky.
- Knead firmly for 8 to 10 minutes, the longer the better.
- Clean and then grease mixing bowl; transfer dough into bowl, turning so that all sides are greased and then cover bowl with a tea towel.
- Preheat oven to 250°F [120°C] for a few minutes; turn it off.
- Arrange a pan, filled with warm water, onto the bottom rack of preheated oven.
- Set dough to rise, onto the middle rack of the oven, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until double in bulk.
- Punch dough down, then divide dough into 3 equal parts; firmly roll each part into a rectangle, rolling until air bubbles pop.
- Pinch ends of rectangles underneath; transfer into 3 small, greased bread pans.
- Brush tops of loaves with melted butter; cover with tea towels and leave to rise, once again into the oven, for approximately 1 hour.
- Remove bread pans and water-filled pan from oven.
- Preheat oven to 350°F [180°C].
- Bake breads into preheated oven, for 35 to 40 minutes, until browned and sound hollowed when tapped underneath with knuckles.
- Remove loaves from pans; cool onto wire racks.
- Brush top of loaves with greased waxed paper.
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