Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread

This summer, while I was home, I came across a loaf of homemade Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread in the gas station. Sounds crazy I know. How many gas stations do you know that sell locally baked goods? If you were lucky enough to grow up in a small town, this won’t surprise you! Some of the best foods can be found in the most unusual of places.

This particular bread wasn’t my favourite. We had a bunch of family in town and I thought this would be a nice treat to share. The Canadian in us all agreed it was lovely and the uncooked crunchy rice didn’t bother us at all.

You guys, it was not good. This bread was not what I expected, but of course, we’re a polite bunch and ate it with enthusiasm, not letting on how much we truly did not enjoy it. Digging out the stuck rice from our teeth in between bites. It was a disaster.

It did, however, make me determined to conquer my Grandma’s Weekend White Bread, so that I could use it as a base for my own version of Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread, the one in which I make it a priority to cook the rice first. And you guys, this bread is ah-mazing! This is how wild rice and cranberry bread should taste.

I added in a bit of molasses and some fresh rosemary and literally it tastes like Thanksgiving dinner. It’s unreal on its own. With a bit of butter it is heaven. But use a couple of slices to make a leftover turkey sandwich and you’ve got yourself a sandwich that will rival ALL other sandwiches.

I’m a little afraid I can’t find the words to truly explain how good this bread is, and I don’t want you to click away without trying this recipe. So, without further ado (seriously, this bread does deserve center stage), here’s how you can make Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread, too.

HOW TO MAKE Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread

First things first, I use my grandma’s weekend white bread recipe as the base for this delicious treat. It’s the perfect loaf that holds up to smears of butter, toasts well and is approved by my mother and aunt who grew up on this recipe. So, after decoding Grandma’s recipe, my mom and I settled on this version that truly is a new favourite in my home. I’ve ditched store-bought bread and am now making a batch almost weekly.

With this Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread, I knew I wanted to cook my rice first, this was a must. The version we tried from the gas station used raw wild rice and I don’t think anyone could possibly enjoy that crunch. So, the night before I want to make this bread, I boil my rice until it’s nice and tender. I let the rice simmer for about an hour. I like wild rice that is really well cooked. You may prefer it a little less cooked, it’s your call here. The next day, I take it out of the fridge and bring it back up to room temp.

To start the actual bread, dissolve the yeast in a bit of warm water and sugar. Leave this to sit for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the remaining water, sugar, salt, melted shortening, molasses and four cups of flour. Stir this together until mixed.

Next, stir in another four cups of flour, the cranberries, wild rice and rosemary and mix until the dough is tacky. Tacky as in sticks to your finger but gives way when you pull your hand away. You may have to add a bit more flour. I also like to start kneading by making a large well in a cup of flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and start kneading the dough, using the surrounding flour to dust the top. I knead for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Additionally, you may need to add an extra cup or more of the flour to get the right consistency. It should resemble soft playdough and be quite elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat the dough, cover with a tea towel and let it rise for an hour in a draft-free place. I like to use my cold oven with the light on. Once it’s risen, gently punch it down to get rid of some of the bubbles.

Lightly flour the same surface again, turn the dough out and divide it in two. Press half the dough into a 9 x 12 rectangle, as even as you can make it. Start on the short side and roll this into a tight roll, pinch the seam on the bottom and fold the ends under and then place this in a greased bread pan. Lightly brush the tops of the formed dough with a bit of oil. I like to bake my bread in stoneware, but just make sure any pan is greased all the way up the sides. Repeat this with the other half of the dough.

Cover and let the dough rise for an additional hour or until doubled in size again. Preheat oven and bake loaves for 28 to 32 minutes. Listen for a hollow sound when knocked and a nice golden brown crust. Take these out of the oven and butter the tops right away, then flip the loaves out of the pans, turn them right side up and leave them to cool completely before cutting.

This Cranberry and Wild Rice Bread is well worth the bit of effort fresh bread takes. I truly hope you give this a try, it’s by far my favourite bread to date and the flavour is top-notch. Consider yourself warned, because if you make this now, you will likely be cooking a turkey in the next few days just for the leftover sandwich!

Loved Cranberry & Wild Rice Bread? Check out these other delicious holiday recipes, I’m sure they’ll hit the spot:

• Two Ingredient Cranberry Ginger Spiced Cake
• Rustic Wild Rice and Sourdough Dressing
• Cauliflower, Broccoli and Bacon Salad

If you get a chance to make this or any other recipe on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your post. I’d love to see what you’re cooking in your kitchen!

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