Rustic Hearth Oat Bread: My Go-To Oat Bread Recipe!

Instructions:

1. Combine rolled oats and boiling water in a large bowl. Stir and let soak for at least 45 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar and lukewarm milk. Stir in honey and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the oat soak (no need to drain the oat soak). Stir to combine.
4. In the bowl with the wet ingredients, add the flour and salt. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6-8 minutes, incorporating the softened butter during the kneading process, until a smooth and elastic dough forms. The dough will be slightly sticky.
6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
7. Gently punch down the dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a loaf.
8. Place the shaped loaf in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size and springs back slowly when gently poked.
9. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the top of the loaf with water and sprinkle with additional rolled oats (optional). Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C).
10. Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.