Creole Bread
Makes medium-sized 2 loaves or 16 buns
2 packages dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole grain gluten flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of salt
1 13.5-ounce can low fat coconut milk or fat free evaporated milk
5 tablespoons spread with plant stanols added (e.g. Benecol,
Smart Balance, Take Control), divided
1/3 cup raisins
1
orange, with petiole removed (the hard knobby thing at the bottom of fruit)
¼ cup chopped pecans
½ teaspoon sugar
Combine water and yeast and
allow to stand for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix flours, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon,
and salt. Add low fat coconut milk (or fat free evaporated milk), 2 tablespoons spread and yeast mixture.
Dough should form a slightly sticky ball. Grind orange to a pulp (with peel, pith and fruit) in a food
processor. Knead in raisins and orange. Add more flour if dough is too sticky, or add orange
juice or water if too stiff. Continue kneading for at least 10 minutes. Spray dough
with cooking spray and allow to stand in warm place for 1 – 2 hours, or until doubled in size. (Alternatively,
after yeast and water are mixed together, throw all the ingredients for the bread into a bowl and knead bread with a heavy
duty mixer.)
Knead dough for 5 minutes. Press into an oblong shape and coat with
1 tablespoon spread. Sprinkle with pecans and sugar. Roll into a long loaf.
For loaves: Cut loaf in half and place each half in a prepared loaf
pan. Roll dough in greased bread pans to coat all sides. Press into loaf shape inside
pan.
For buns: Slice dough loaf into 1
inch slices. Arrange slices in a greased large baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray.
Allow to stand for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Bake
bread at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes and buns for 20 minutes, or until dough sounds hollow when you tap on it and
is golden brown. If a shiny crust is desired on the buns, mix 1 teaspoon natural sugar with 1 tablespoon
water and spread over crust about 5 minutes before removing from oven.