A hearty brown bread sweetened with molasses, Colonial Bread is easy to make and is great for sandwiches or toast. Make a loaf of this delicious Southern brown bread today!
1¾cups(210grams)bread flour, plus more for kneading
1½teaspoons(1½teaspoon)instant yeast, or Active Dry, see Recipe Notes
3tablespoons(32grams)cornmeal
¾cup(177grams)water, boiling
3tablespoons(65grams)molasses
1½teaspoons(7grams)unsalted butter, at room temperature
½teaspoon(½teaspoon)kosher salt
Instructions
Make the dough: In a small bowl, whisk the flour and yeast together.
In a medium bowl, place cornmeal into a bowl and carefully pour in boiling water, stirring to make sure mixture is smooth. Stir in the molasses, butter, and salt. Let the mixture cool down until it's between 100 °F to 110 °F. This shouldn't take long.
Add the flour mixture to the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is elastic and no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed.
Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly sprayed with canola oil spray, cover, and place in a warm place to rise, about 60 to 90 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size. The oven with just the light turned on works well.
Shape the loaf: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and lightly knead for a few minutes.
Pat the dough into a rough oval slightly less than the length of the loaf pan. Fold the top third over (like a letter), and use the heel of your hand to seal the seam. Turn the dough around and repeat with the other side. Fold the dough in half, and press the seam again, pressing it down onto the work surface.
Spray a standard loaf pan with canola oil spray, then transfer the dough to the pan. With a flattened hand, press down on top of the dough. This will evenly distribute the dough in the pan so when it rises it will have a nice, smooth shape.
Cover the pan, and place back in a warm place until it rises again, about 30 to 45 minutes. You’ll know if it’s been proofed enough if the dough has mounded.
Bake the loaf: While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 °F. Adjust the rack so the bread will bake in the center of the oven.
Uncover the dough and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until it’s brown. The bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, and should read at least 190 °F at its center when checked with a digital thermometer.
Turn the bread out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Storage instructions: Colonial bread can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature. For longer storage, place in an airtight bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
If you use Active Dry yeast, then you might want to sprinkle yeast on to the warmed water with a teaspoon of sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe. Letting it foam "proves" the yeast is active and ready to go to work.Don’t wait to pre-heat the oven after the dough has risen because waiting for the oven to warm can cause the dough to over-proof. If the bread has risen too much in the pan, it will deflate while baking. To combat this over-proofing, take the bread out, reshape, and allow to rise again, keeping watch this time.A 350ºF oven will give this bread a softer crust. If you want a firmer crust, bake at 375ºF and check after 35 minutes to see if it’s done.Because this brown bread recipe makes a small loaf, it may not fill the pan completely, nor will it rise over the top of the pan. You can double all the ingredients to make a fuller, taller bread loaf.