Bread in Clay Baker - Suzanne's Version

By Cooky

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm coffee (strong-brewed)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cups rye (or whole wheat) flour
• 1 2/3 to 2 cups bread flour (used multi grain)
• 1 Tbl. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbl. granulated sugar
• 2 Tbl. butter, softened
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 T gluten (try more)
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbl. water
• Rolled oats for topping (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Pour warm coffee in large mixing bowl, add honey and yeast. Stir to combine. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
2. When yeast mixture is foamy, add wheat flour, butter, salt, cocoa powder and sugar. With mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.
3. Switch to dough hook attachment, add 1 1/2 cups bread flour. Mix until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, adding more flour, 1-2 Tablespoons at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Knead in mixer 8 minutes. Knead another 2 minutes adding additional flour as needed.
4. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat top. Cover bowl with a tea towl and let rise in warm spot about 2 hours (needed all this time) or until doubled in size.
5. Grease clay baker with cooking spray. When dough is doubled in size, punch down dough and turn onto floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions (for mini bread bakers as shown in photo), 12 portions for rolls, or 2 portions for loaves. Shape into desired shape and place in clay baker. Whisk egg white and water until frothy and brush on loaves, sprinkle with rolled oats if desired.
6. Let rise in warm place another 60 minutes (or until the dough has risen above the rim of the baker).
7. Place baker(s) in cold oven, set oven temperature to 350ºF and bake 45-50 minutes (bake rolls about 30-40 minutes). The loaves will pull away from the sides of the clay baker when cooking is complete. If using a covered clay baker, remove lid after 35 minutes and bake 15-20 minutes uncovered to allow bread to form a crust.

Remove loaves from bakers as soon as possible when baking is complete (within 5 minutes).