Bushman Bread - MY way!

Bushman Bread (or Outback Steakhouse bread, or Cheesecake Factory black bread) has about as many recipe variations available on the web as there are people who love to bake! Some use rye, molasses and coffee, some use wheat flour and vital wheat gluten, and some use a combination of wheat flour and bread flour. So, the breadbaker first has to decide which ingredients, or recipe, he'd like to use. 

I decided to try Chef Pablo's version (chefpablos.com) of Bushman Bread without rye and molasses. I also tweaked it just a little, and it turned out so good! It isn't as dark as the restaurant bread, but it is full-flavored, a little sweet, and very soft and light for a 50% wheat bread. It has a unique (and addictive) flavor, especially when you eat it warm, with lots of butter!

The only tricky part is the caramel coloring. It is made by caramelizing sugar, so it adds flavor as well as color. You can buy it in liquid form from Orson Gygi (a restaurant supply store in Salt Lake City), or in powdered form from King Arthur Flour (online), or you can take a little extra time to make your own - like I did. It's quite easy to make and stores well in a small jar in the cupboard. I'll add the recipe, below.

I've used a bread machine, on the DOUGH cycle, to knead and raise the bread dough, but you could instead knead it by hand or with a stand mixer (like Bosch or KitchenAid), then let it rise, covered, in a bowl placed in a warm location until the dough doubles - 20-60 minutes, depending on the temperature.

Bushman Bread - MY way!

1-1/4 C Warm water ("hot" from the tap)
2 TB Softened butter
1/2 C Honey
2 C Whole Wheat Flour (I like white winter wheat)
2 C Bread Flour (I used Gold Medal Better For Bread flour)
2 TB Sugar
2 TB Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp Salt
1 TB Caramel coloring liquid
3 TB Cornmeal, divided
2-1/4 tsp Yeast (I use Red Star active dry yeast)

Put all ingredients, (except cornmeal) into 2-lb-loaf bread machine pan in the order listed. Set to DOUGH cycle and watch it while it kneads. If it is too stiff, add a little more water (1 TB at a time). If it is too sticky, add a little flour (1/2 TB Wheat flour & 1/2 TB Bread flour at a time) until it looks/feels right. It should be tender and pliable, but should not be very sticky. Dough will knead and rise in the machine. When finished, remove dough from pan, knead slightly to remove any air bubbles. Form 2 oval loaves and place them on a baking sheet that has been greased and sprinkled with 2 TB cornmeal. Sprinkle remaining TB of cornmeal on the loaves. Cover loaves lightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 20-60 minutes. Bake in 350 F. degree oven 10-25 minutes, until crust sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on rack before slicing. Freezes well.

Pumpernickel Color

3 TB Sugar
1 TB Water
pinch Cream of Tartar
1/4 C Boiling water

In heavy saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sugar in 1 TB water. Increase heat to medium-high. Cover pan, and bring to boil for 2 minutes. Add Cream of Tartar and boil uncovered until sugar is almost black. Remove from heat. Sugar will continue to cook and darken. Allow to begin to cool. Using caution, add boiling water. Stir to dissolve, then cool to room temperature. Clean pan and utensils with hot water.