Cranberry Wild Rice Bread

By á-29897

Ingredients

• FOR THE BREAD:
• 2-1/2 C Bread Flour
• 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
• 2-1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (typically 1 packet equals 2-1/4 tsp)
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1-1/4 C Water, room temperature
• 2 Tbl Molasses
• 1 Tbl Grapeseed Oil (Olive or vegetable oil will also do)
• 3/4 C Wild Rice Blend, cooked and cooled (we love Lundberg's Wild Rice Blend)
• 1/2 C Dried Cranberries, chopped
• 2 Tbl vegan Margarine, melted and cooled
• FOR THE CRANBERRY BUTTER:
• 1 Stick of vegan Margarine (1/4 lb.) at room temperature (we use Earth Balance)
• 1/4 C fresh Cranberries
• 1 tsp fresh Orange Juice
• 1 tsp Orange Zest
• Agave, to taste

Preparation

Step 1

To make the bread, whisk together the flours, yeast and salt. Add the water, molasses and olive oil. (NOTE: The butter is for brushing the top after rising and does not go IN the dough).
Mix together until everything is incorporated and knead until smooth. This took me about 7 minutes. You could also use a mixer with a dough hook to do this.
Add the chopped dried cranberries and cooked wild rice blend. (I wouldn't use straight wild rice in this bread although there are some that call for it. Be sure to cook the rice completely and cool it before adding it to this dough. If it's firm before baking, it will be crunchy after baking and that's not very appetizing :)
Knead until everything is incorporated evenly.
Lightly spray or oil a bowl and place the dough to rest for 1-1/2 hours. Cover with a lint-free towel (or plastic wrap).
Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Lightly punch down the dough and place into the loaf pan. Be sure your pan is only filled ⅔ full. I found that I had a slightly smaller than average loaf pan and once risen, it went over the edges a bit. If you have to much dough, you could always make a couple of muffins out of the surplus.
Cover the loaf pan and place in a warm area to rise again for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Brush with the melted margarine.
Bake for 40-50 minutes. Oven temperatures vary greatly, so start with 40 and keep an eye on it. You'll want a skewer or toothpick inserted to come out clean.
Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan. This is important for it to hold it's shape. Don't let it sit too long or it will begin to soften from the steam.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in foil and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
To make the cranberry butter, place fresh cranberries in the bowl of a food processor and puree.
Add the vegan margarine (room temperature blends best). Add the orange juice and zest. Blend to combine.
Taste and add agave to desired sweetness.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.