Breakfast is a great time to relax and catch up when hosting guests during the holiday season. The holiday breakfast table provides a casual setting to share a good meal and a few laughs with your guests. While some guests might prefer omelets and others may like French toast or a simple bowl of cereal, few won’t enjoy a slice or two of freshly baked bread. Hosts who want to satisfy their guests’ hunger pangs and give them something to enjoy with their first few sips of coffee can prepare the following recipe for “Steamed Spiced Brown Bread” from Andrew Schloss’ “Cooking Slow” (Chronicle Books).

Steamed Spice Brown Bread
Makes 4 servings

    Vegetable oil spray
1    cup rye flour
1    cup blue cornmeal
1    cup whole-wheat flour
2    teaspoons ground ginger
1    teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2    teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/4    teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/8    teaspoon ground cloves
2    teaspoons baking soda
1    teaspoon fine sea salt
2    cups raisins
1    cup black coffee
1    cup yogurt
3 1/4    cup molasses
    Boiling water as needed
    Unsalted butter for serving (optional)

Coat the inside of the bread mold(s) lightly with vegetable oil spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the rye flour, cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, allspice, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Toss in the raisins to coat. In a separate bowl, beat together the coffee, yogurt and molasses, and then stir the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients just until a smooth batter forms.
Pour the batter into the prepared mold(s). Cover the top of the mold(s) with heavy-duty aluminum foil and secure around the top with kitchen string or a rubber band.
Position the baking ring(s) in a Dutch oven or saucepan wide or deep enough to hold the mold(s). Put the mold(s) on top of the ring(s) and pour the boiling water around the mold(s) until the water comes about halfway up the sides but does not touch the foil. Cover the pot and steam the bread over low heat, adding more water if the level drops by more than half, until the top of the bread is dry and the center feels springy but soft, about 21Ú2 hours.
Remove the mold(s) from the water and cool for 5 minutes. Take off the foil. Run a knife around the edge of the bread and invert onto a plate. Serve warm in slices with butter, if desired.

— Metro Creative


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