A Taste of Home ~ Nova Scotia Brown Bread

Being stranded at home by Covid-19 has had its advantages.

For one thing, I've revived my early bread baking skills, much to Terry's delight.

I've made multiple batches of delicious white and whole wheat bread.

The flavor and texture of homemade bread is so much better than store-bought,

and the investment of time and energy in baking bread is well worth it.

    

I felt confident and empowered last Sunday morning,

so I decided to tackle a recipe for Nova Scotia Brown Bread.

My sister Barb sent me her favorite recipe for this traditional bread.

She's been on the hunt, trying this recipe and that, tinkering and adjusting,

until she created the taste she remembered.

Our great grandmother Cossaboom made the best brown bread,

and Barb is a master baker like her.

If you haven't tasted 

Nova Scotia Brown Bread,

you have missed out on a

scrumptious treat.

It goes especially well

with homemade baked beans.

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

If you would like to make this Nova Scotian treat, I'll walk you through the process.

Don't be intimidated by the thought of making bread.  It's really easy.

All it requires is a commitment of about three hours.

Nova Scotia Brown Bread:

Ingredients:

1½ cups quick rolled oats (I substituted old-fashioned rolled oats by pulsing them a few times in a food processor.) 

2 cups boiling water

½ tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon shortening  (I substituted 1 tablespoon butter.)

1 tablespoon quick-acting yeast

½ cup warm water

1 teaspoon white sugar 

¾ cup molasses  (I used "blackstrap" molasses, but if I were home in the Maritimes, I'd use Crosby’s Molasses!) 

4-5 cups white flour  (I used almost 6 cups.)

Ingredients

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

 

Steps:

1.  Mix together rolled oats, salt, and shortening in a large bowl.  Pour in boiling water and

     stir.  Let this oat mixture stand until lukewarm, about 15 minutes.

2.  In a separate bowl gently combine yeast, sugar, and warm water.  Let it rise for 10

     minutes.

Oat Mixture Cooling, Yeast Rising

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

3.  When the oat mixture is lukewarm, add the molasses and mix well. Do not add the

     molasses when the oat mixture is too hot, or it will change the texture and

     require more flour.

Stirring in Molasses, Yeast Rising

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

4.  Add yeast mixture to molasses-oat mixture.  Add one cup of the white flour.  Beat well.

Molasses-Oat Mixture, Flour, and Yeast Mixture

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

5.  Keep adding white flour in one cup increments up to 4 or 5 cups.  As you get near

     the end, you may need to use your hands to work the flour in.  If the dough is really

     sticking to your hands, keep working in a little more flour at a time until it isn't. 

      (Have some extra flour in a separate bowl.  I had to call Terry for help because I didn't have any extra flour out, and my hands were covered with globby, sticky mittens of dough ~ LOL.  I don't know if it was altitude, humidity, or what, but I needed almost 6 cups of white flour.  The dough will feel tacky, but not sticky, when enough flour is worked in.  Mom used to say the dough would feel like a baby's bum.)

6.  Kneed bread for 10 minutes, dusting surface with flour if needed.

     (This is a great way to release excess energy or frustration!  I like punching it down with my fists.)

7.  Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm

     spot until it doubles in size.  It takes about 60 minutes.  

     (Be aware that it might take a little less time or a little more.  You want a doubling in volume.)

Dough Rising ~ Pick a Spot Without Drafts

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

8.  When the dough has risen, divide it into four equal-sized pieces and form the pieces

     into balls.  Place 2 balls in one greased bread pan and the remaining 2 balls in a

     second greased pan.  Let the dough rise until double in size.  It takes about

     45 minutes.  Preheat oven for 350º F while dough is rising in the pans.       

     (Again, it might take a little less time or a little more.  A doubling in volume is what you want.  

      I like to baste the dough with melted butter, but that isn't necessary.)

Butter-Basted Loaves Ready for the Oven

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

9.  Bake bread for 35-40 minutes.  The loaves are done when they are well-browned on

     top.  If you tap a loaf, it should sound hollow.  Carefully remove the pans from the 

         oven wearing oven mitts.  Tip each pan onto a cooling rack.  If the loaves are done,

     they should slide right out of the pans.  Cool on racks.

Cooled and Read to Enjoy

September 20, 2020

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

10.  When loaves are cooled, they can be sliced with a bread (serrated) knife.  A loaf

       will last for a week in the refrigerator.  Loaves can also be frozen.  

       (This bread is so yummy that you can eat a slice with nothing on it.  Barb and my Aunt Mary Lou say it makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever.  Sounds perfect for a Saturday night supper.)

        

Cheers to Sisters Everywhere!

Barb and I

August 2019

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

Have a safe and happy weekend ~ Bake some bread!

    Till next time ~
    Fundy Blue

     On the Bay of Fundy
       © M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
       All Rights Reserved

Just the Recipe:

Nova Scotia Brown Bread:

Ingredients:

1½ cups quick rolled oats 

2 cups boiling water

½ tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon shortening  

1 tablespoon quick-acting yeast

½ cup warm water

1 teaspoon white sugar 

¾ cup molasses  

4-5 cups white flour  

Steps:

1.  Mix together rolled oats, salt, and shortening in a large bowl.  Pour in boiling water and

     stir.  Let this oat mixture stand until lukewarm, about 15 minutes.

2.  In a separate bowl gently combine yeast, sugar, and warm water.  Let it rise for 10

     minutes.

3.  When the oat mixture is lukewarm, add the molasses and mix well. Do not add the

     molasses when the oat mixture is too hot, or it will change the texture and

     require more flour.

4.  Add yeast mixture to molasses-oat mixture.  Add one cup of the white flour.  Beat well.

5.  Keep adding white flour in one cup increments up to 4 or 5 cups.  As you get near

     the end, you may need to use your hands to work the flour in.  If the dough is really

     sticking to your hands, keep working in a little more flour at a time until it isn't

     sticking. 

6.  Kneed bread for 10 minutes, dusting surface with flour if needed.

7.  Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm

     spot until it doubles in size.  It takes about 60 minutes.  

8.  When the dough has risen, divide it into four equal-sized pieces and form the pieces

     into balls.  Place 2 balls in one greased bread pan and the remaining 2 balls in a

     second greased pan.  Let the dough rise until double in size.  It takes about

     45 minutes.  Preheat oven for 350º F while dough is rising in the pans.       

     

9.  Bake bread for 35-40 minutes.  The loaves are done when they are well-browned on

     top.  If you tap a loaf, it should sound hollow.  Carefully remove the pans from the

     oven wearing oven mitts.  Tip each pan onto a cooling rack.  If the loaves are done,

     they should slide right out of the pans.  Cool on racks.

10.  When loaves are cooled, they can be sliced with a bread (serrated) knife.  A loaf

       will last for a week in the refrigerator.  Loaves can also be frozen.