Oat Walnut Bread

Oat flour walnut bread is a hearty and nutritious loaf made with oat flour and studded with crunchy walnuts. It has a soft, moist texture and a slightly nutty flavor, perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack. This bread is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a wholesome option for those seeking a nutritious diet. It pairs well with butter, honey, or cream cheese, and can also be enjoyed on its own.

Ingredients

- 220g bread flour  

- 80g oat flour  

- 15g honey  

- 4g instant yeast  

- 6g salt  

- 185g lukewarm water  

- 40g walnuts  

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough:

   - In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, oat flour, salt, and yeast.  

   - Gradually add the warm water and honey.  

   - Knead the dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook or by hand for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.  

2. First Rise:

   - Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.  

   - Let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.  

3. Deflate and Shape:  

   - After the dough has risen, gently punch it down to deflate.  

   - Knead in the walnuts until evenly distributed.  

   - Shape the dough into a log or your preferred bread shape.  

   - (Optional) Roll out the dough into a rectangle, add walnuts, then roll it tightly into a log for better layering.  

   - Dust a baking tray with flour and place the shaped dough on the tray.  

   - Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and cover it with a kitchen towel.  

4. Second Rise:

   - Let the dough rise again for 30-40 minutes, until slightly puffed.  

5. Bake:

   - Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).  

   - Place the bread in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes.  

   - The bread is ready when the crust is golden and crispy.  

   - (Tip) Tap the bottom of the loaf - if it sounds hollow, it’s done.  

6. Cool and Enjoy:

   - Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.  

   - The crust should be crispy, with a soft, airy interior.  

7. Storage:

   - Room Temperature: Store cooled bread in a paper bag at room temperature. It will stay fresh for 2–3 days. Avoid plastic bags to prevent the crust from softening.  

   - Freezing for Long-Term Storage: For longer storage, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.  

   - To enjoy later, thaw at room temperature or reheat in the oven for a freshly baked feel.  

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Chocolate Oat Flour Cake

I wanted to make a healthier dessert, so I swapped out wheat flour for oats instead. I ground the oats into flour and added it to the batter. The first time, I made a big mistake by adding water to the oat flour right away—it soaked up the water immediately, and once I added the other ingredients, it became tough to mix smoothly. After baking, there were visible white spots from the oats, which didn’t affect the taste but did impact the appearance.

On my second attempt, I mixed the water in at the very end, after combining all the other ingredients, which resulted in a smooth batter with no spots in the baked cake—making it look much better. While the texture was more crumbly than with regular flour, and it might not work well for something like a birthday cake, it tasted great. No one even guessed it was made with oat flour!

If you're using oat flour in this recipe, keep the 100ml of hot water as it's necessary to help hydrate the oat flour since it absorbs more liquid compared to regular wheat flour. Oat flour lacks gluten, so the cake will have a more tender , crumbly texture. You can expect the cake to be softer and slightly denser.

If you want to replace the oat flour with cake flour, reduce the amount of liquid (hot water) to about 60-70ml since cake flour contains gluten and doesn’t absorb as much water.

The presence of gluten in cake flour helps hold the cake together, so the texture will be less crumbly and more structured than with oat flour.

Ingredients

- 140g oat flour

- 50g cocoa powder

- 8g baking powder

- 100ml hot water

- 100g brown sugar

- 80g vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)

- 2 large eggs

- 30g almonds (sliced ​​or chopped)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pan:

- Line a 6-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray or a little oil to prevent sticking. Set it aside.

2. Mix dry ingredients:

- In a large bowl, combine oat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and brown sugar. Mix them together evenly with a whisk, breaking up any lumps.

3. Add wet ingredients:

- Add oil and eggs to dry ingredients. Begin stirring the mixture gently to combine. The batter will thicken at this point.

4. Add hot water:

- While stirring the batter, slowly pour in hot water. Continue stirring until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Hot water helps dissolve the sugar and creates a more even texture.

5. Prepare to bake:

- Pour the batter into the prepared 6-inch pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle chopped or sliced ​​almonds over the top of the batter.

6. Bake the cake:

- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Once preheated, bake the cake for 40-45 minutes. To check if it's done, insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake - if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready.

7. Cool and serve:

- Allow cake to cool completely in pan on wire rack before slicing. Once cooled, you may choose to drizzle melted chocolate on top for an extra touch. Slice and serve.

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