"Batter Bread": Getting the Whole Wheat Recipe Right

I copied down a batter bread recipe (quick, simple, and no kneading!) from a Fanny Farmer cookbook back in 1990, and used it (slightly modified) often while feeding teens. Then, a couple of years into my marriage to Dave (we got together in 2002), I made a batch of this bread for him. He grew up on great bakeries in New Haven, CT, and the rather flat profile of this loaf didn't impress him. But in my regular bread pans, because the batter is pretty soft, I just couldn't get the loaf to rise to his standards (pun intended!).

The solution turned out to be not changing the recipe, but the pan. The one shown here really works nicely because it's narrower and has a better ratio of width to depth for batter breads. It hold quite a bit of batter, so instead of a 2-load recipe, this now makes one loaf plus a few mini items (muffins or small breads). The molasses gives it a lovely rich flavor.

GRAHAM BATTER BREAD

In large bowl, mix:
1/4 cup molasses or honey
1/2 Tbsp salt
2-1/2 cups very warm water

In mixing cup, stir together and let sit for 5 minutes:
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 Tbsp dry yeast (or 1 packet)

After the yeast is dissolved and a bit bubbly, add the yeast/water mix to the first mix and beat in:
3 cups whole wheat flour (I use locally grown and milled, but King Arthur also works well)

Then stir in
3 cups unbleached white flour

Cover and let rise half an hour or until doubled in size. Stir it back down and divide into greased pans. Cover loosely (a tent of waxed paper will work) and let rise until the batter is near the tops of the pans (20 minutes is usually enough).

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes (30 minutes for "muffin pan" sizes). Tip out of pans to cool on rack.