Wheat Bran Bread and Jamaica Jam

It's been a very busy day in the garden and the kitchen. I'm still working on the Roselle harvest. I can't believe how much fruit is on one plant. I've got a few plants picked out that will be just for seed for spring time. The jam I must say taste delish and will make a great base for sweet and sour sauce and perhaps a few other things too. I'm sure I'll find uses for it. In the kitchen today I made a couple of loaves of wheat bran bread. Boy did it smell good baking! It is chocked plum full of healthy goodness. I'm sure you will enjoy making this bread.

Ingredients for Wheat Bran Bread

1 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup organic sunflower oil
2 cup organic wheat bran
3 to 4 cup unbleached bread flour
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
a half hand full of whole organic flax seed
a half hand full organic raw sunflower seed
2 eggs

Place your water, honey and oil in a small bowl and heat in microwave for about a minute. In your large warm mixing bowl add oat bran, 3 cups of the flour, salt, seeds, yeast and whisk together. Put on your dough hook and add the liquid ingredients and the eggs. Add a little more flour as needed from your remaining cup. You may not need all of it. You just want the dough to begin to pull away from the mixing bowl. Knead with the dough hook about 3 minutes or so on the 2nd speed.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and place in a warm spot until it doubles in size. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Turn out onto a lightly dusted surface and punch down and divide in half. Roll it out and roll it up and place into your lightly oiled bread pans. Lightly brush the tops with some egg white and water mixture. Press on oats or seeds. Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. You can test your bread by tapping on the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds somewhat hollow it is done.

Ingredients for Jamaica Jam

This recipe makes 6 pints

12 to 14 cups cooked Roselle
1 cup of sugar for every one cup of cooked Roselle
1/2 of the seed pods from Roselle you are using (pectin)

Sterilize your jars and lids as recommended for canning. Peel the Roselle and reserve half of the seed pods to make pectin. Cover the Roselle with water and bring to a gentle boil for 20 minutes. Measure it out to see how many cups you have. This way you will know how many cups of sugar you will need. Always use equal amounts of sugar for Roselle jam or jelly. In a separate pot cover the seed pods with water and bring to a rapid quick boil and drain. Save the liquid and pour it into the Roselle. Gentle boil for 10 minutes. Now add your sugar and keep it at a gentle boil for one hour. Be sure to stir your pot every so often.

Now you can test your jam. Spoon out a little bit onto a saucer and place it in the fridge for a bit to cool off. Stick your finger in it and it should be jelled. If not cook for just a tad longer.

Funnel the jam into hot sterile jars. Leave at least 1/2 head space. Place on cap and band. Your finished. Let it cool in a place with no draft. Store in a dark cool cupboard.

Happy Gardening!!
Pammy