KS Quotient
Easy: Fuss-free ingredients; two-stage mixing. No hand-shaping.
Anadama breads have been around since at least the mid-nineteenth century, and most often appear in old-fashioned New England cookbooks. This is not surprising, since cornmeal and molasses often teamed up in dishes in the region in Colonial times; Indian pudding, Boston brown bread, and anadama bread are just several of the many heritage recipes still being prepared that take great advantage of this twosome.
The combination is particularly pleasant in anadama bread. Both the touch of molasses and the cornmeal add gentle fragrance and flavor. And because the cornmeal absorbs a lot of moisture and becomes mush-like when boiling water is poured over it, it helps keep the loaf very moist. A comfort food of the highest order, this bread goes well with white chowders, mild soups, and other gently seasoned dishes. I also like it for toast.
Yield: 1 large loaf, about 12 to 15 slices each
½ cup boiling water
½ cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons light or dark molasses
2¾ cups (13.75 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus ½ cup (2.5 ounces), plus more as needed
Generous 1½ teaspoons table salt
¾ teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
Corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil or oil spray for loaf top
1 large egg, at room temperature and beaten with a fork
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
First Rise In a medium bowl, gradually stir the boiling water into the cornmeal until smoothly incorporated. Let cool to warm, then stir in the molasses until evenly incorporated. In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together 2¾ cups of the flour, the salt, and yeast. Vigorously stir the ice water into the cooled cornmeal until very smoothly blended. Then vigorously stir the cornmeal mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If too dry to mix completely, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more ice water to blend the ingredients; don't over-moisten, as the dough should be fairly stiff. Brush or spray the top with vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.
Second Rise Vigorously stir the beaten egg, butter, and remaining ½ cup of flour into the dough. (If desired, use a dough hook and heavy-duty mixer on low speed.) Then vigorously stir in enough more flour to yield a hard-to-stir dough. Using an oiled rubber spatula, lift and fold the dough in towards the center all the way around; this organizes the gluten for forming a loaf. Invert the dough into a generously greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Brush or spray the top with oil. Using the spatula, smooth out the surface and press the dough evenly into the pan. Cover the pan with nonstick spray—coated plastic.
Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough nears the plastic. Remove it and continue until the dough extends ½ inch above the pan rim.
Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F.
Baking Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering the top with foil for the last few minutes if necessary to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes more or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles on the end (or until the center registers 207° to 209°F on an instant-read thermometer). Bake for 5 minutes longer to be sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto the rack; cool thoroughly.
Serving and StoringServe warm, or cool, or toasted; the bread slices best when cool. Cool thoroughly before storing in plastic or foil. Keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days. May be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.