Anadama Bread

Why this recipe works Anadama bread is a New England classic, with two defining ingredients that have a centuries-old association with the region: molasses and cornmeal. We wanted a sandwich loaf that was moist and chewy, sturdy yet tender, faintly bitter yet sweet, and ever so slightly gritty. And we wanted the two star ingredients to have real presence. We found mild and robust varieties of molasses all worked well in this bread, while blackstrap molasses imparted too much bitter flavor. We increased the amount of molasses called for in most recipes until we landed on a full ¼ cup—enough to impart a decidedly bittersweet flavor and a beautiful golden color. We found that ½ cup of cornmeal was necessary to achieve the heartiness and pleasant grit we were after, but that meant cutting down on the flour and therefore the gluten, leaving us with a dense loaf. The fix was surprisingly easy: Adding a bit more yeast than is found in traditional recipes helped keep the texture light. Some recipes call for softening the cornmeal in water before mixing the dough, but we found this step unnecessary. For the liquid, milk made a softer bread but we preferred the heartier chew of the bread made with water. For extra moisture and tenderness, we added butter instead of oil for the fat, as this seemed truer to the bread’s colonial past. Do not use coarse-ground cornmeal. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, increase the shaped rising time by 20 to 30 minutes and start checking for doneness 10 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.

MAKES: 1 loaf

RISING TIME: 2 to 3 hours

BAKING TIME: 40 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 3¾ to 4¾ hours, plus 3 hours cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan, water-filled spray bottle, instant-read thermometer

INGREDIENTS:

• 2¾ cups (13¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (2½ ounces) cornmeal
• 1½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1¼ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) water, room temperature
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) mild or robust molasses
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, cornmeal, yeast, and salt.
2. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together water, molasses, and melted butter until the molasses has dissolved. With the dough hook attached to the stand mixer, mix on low speed and slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture.
3. Mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, approximately 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead the dough until it becomes smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl, which usually takes about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, approximately 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size, which usually takes about 1½ to 2 hours.
5. Grease an 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan and dust it with cornmeal. Press down on the risen dough to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, with the side that was against the bowl facing up. Press it into an 8 by 6-inch rectangle, with the long side parallel to the counter edge.
6. Roll the dough away from you into a firm cylinder, keeping the roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Pinch the seam closed and place the loaf seam side down in the prepared pan, gently pressing the dough into the corners.
7. Cover the pan loosely with greased plastic wrap and let the dough rise until the loaf reaches 1 inch above the lip of the pan, and the dough springs back minimally when gently poked with your knuckle. This usually takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mist the loaf with water and bake it in the preheated oven until it turns deep golden brown and the loaf registers 205 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, which takes about 40 to 45 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
9. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack, which usually takes about 3 hours, before serving.