Saturday, November 9, 2019

Molasses Brown Bread - Similar to Cheesecake Factory's


I recently tried a loaf of Cheesecake Factory's brown bread that I found it at my local grocery store.  It was in love at first bite and serious addicting.  It's slightly sweet, with hints of chocolate, molasses and coffee. Those of you who've eaten at Cheesecake Factory restaurant were likely given a variety basket of breads with their brown bread in it.  It's delicious!


Ever since I bought that loaf of bread, I've been on a quest to try and duplicate it at home.  There are many copycat recipes out there; some with honey, some with brewed coffee, or espresso and various mixtures of flours and liquids.  I tried a couple of them but they just didn't come close enough to the color, flavor and texture I was looking for.  I wanted to find one that included most of the ingredients I found on listed on the CF Brown Bread package I found at the store.

Then, I found one recipe using a water roux, a Japanese method of mixing small amount of flour with hot water before making the bread dough.  That recipe had the texture I was looking for not quite the taste.  So I adapted that recipe, changed a couple of ingredients and added a couple I found on the package, and I think I found exactly the taste and texture I was hoping for!  This is what they looked like just before baking...


I decided to make six small free-style loaves rather than large loaves, baguettes or rolls, but am looking forward to experimenting with other shapes or even bread bowls.  Speaking of which, this bread tastes absolutely wonderful with soup not to mention just plain slathered with butter.


On of my favorite ways to use my Molasses Brown Bread is to make egg salad sandwiches but it also makes wonderful Jarlsberg grilled cheese sandwiches with a bowl of tomato soup for dunking.  And don't forget, avocado toast would be soooo good made with this bread.


Molasses Brown Bread

Printable Recipe

I want to thank Amy at U Try It for the inspiration for this recipe, which I've adapted.

Notes:
The water roux needs to be made the night before and refrigerated. It must come to room temperature before using.  This recipe uses a bread machine but you can use a dough hook on a stand mixer or by knead by hand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow dough to proof (covered with a tea towel) for a hour or until the dough doubles in size before proceeding to shape the dough.

Makes 6 small freestyle loaves, 3 baguette loaves, 12 hamburger sized rolls, or 18 smaller, dinner-size rolls.

For the water roux:

3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour

For the Molasses Brown Bread:

1 cup warm heavy cream (whipping cream) or double cream
Room temperature water Roux
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1 cup rye flour
2 tablespoons wheat bran (not wheat germ)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast

For the oat topping:

1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water (at room temperature)
2-3 tablespoons old fashioned oats

To make the water roux the night before:

Place bread flour in a small bowl, pour boiling water over the bread flour a little at a time, stirring quickly with a fork to combine until smooth.  Allow to cool and then wrap the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.

To make the Molasses Brown Bread:

Take the water roux out of the refrigerator at least an hour before using. It should be at room temperature.

In a bread machine container, first add the warm cream, water roux, molasses, avocado oil, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, brown sugar, whole wheat flour, bread flour, rye flour, wheat bran and yeast. Set bread machine to dough cycle according to your machine's menu. On my bread machine it is setting 8 which includes kneading and the first rise, which takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.

When dough cycle is finished, pour out the dough onto a clean surface and punch it down to deflate it. Divide dough into 6 equal portions (I like to use my kitchen scale for this) and shape them into balls and place on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and let them rest in a warm place for 15-20 minutes. An unheated oven with a bowl of very warm water on the bottom and door closed is a good place.

Next, knead each dough ball a few times and then roll each into a small, hoagie-style loaf. Place them back onto the lined baking sheet, cover with the tea towel and let the dough rise for 45 minutes to an hour, also in a warm and moist place.

15 minutes before the dough is finished rising, take it and the water bowl out of the oven (if that's where it is rising) and preheat the oven 420°F. Brush the egg wash on top of each loaf and sprinkle the oats on top. Bake for 10 minutes, give the pan one turn, and finish baking for another 6 minutes. 16 minutes total baking time.

Transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.

43 comments:

  1. This bread sounds like dessert...so yummy! I’ve never had the pleasure of eating at the Cheesecake Factory, though I have tasted many breads served in restaurants that I have wanted to duplicate at home...Outback Steakhouse’s and Red Lobster’s cheesy biscuits as examples.

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    1. It is so yummy, Vee. There was one steakhouse copycat recipe that I found that was womewhat similar to this one, with molasses and cocoa but not as sweet. Yes to those cheesy biscuits :)

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  2. I've only eaten at the Cheesecake factory once, and I don't remember having this bread, but it sounds amazing! I'd love to add it to my holiday breadbasket, Susan, Thanks!

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    1. Perhaps they only serve the bread at certain times of the day. Evidently, it's very popular. It is so delicious, Pat and I think it would also be wonderful with ham.

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  3. Susan what lovely brown bread, looks absolutely delicious !! have a nice Sunday!

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    1. Thank you, Gloria! I was so happy with how it turned out :) xoxo

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  4. They look so soft and tender...absolutely divine. I am a huge fan of homemade bread and gonna have to try this too! Thanks,Susan, for sharing this beautiful recipe.

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    1. Such a wonderful compliment coming from you, Angie ♥ Thank you!

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  5. I can't wait to try this! Where have I had similar? I must put my thinking cap on..A resto but not CF..I loved it..w/ honey butter they served it.This looks like a keeper and your pic popped off the screen into my hungry face:)

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    1. Thank you, Pea! It is so, so good! I can't wait to hear where you had something smilar, if you can recall. Could it have been Outback Steakhouse? I've read they serve something similar as I was searching for recipe ideas.

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  6. Yes, for me, Susan, it was Outback Steakhouse that had a similar looking bread, that I just loved. I'm not sure what the one at Cheesecake Factory tastes like. I will have to try your version, as it looks heavenly, and I love making bread.

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    1. Thank you, Kitty! I have to admit I'd never had the bread at either Cheesecake Factory or Outback Steakhouse but after buying and tasting the CF Brown Bread from the grocery store I was in love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

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  7. We have never eaten and the Cheesecake Factory restaurant, can you believe that? But this bread looks and sounds amazing Susan. We can't wait to try this! Lovely photos too!

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    1. It was so long ago that we ate at one and it was out-of-state. It was such a great discovery to find their bread on the shelf at the grocery store but this homemade version is wonderful and so very close to theirs! Thanks so much!

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  8. This looks like a great recipe. Molasses creates such a beautiful color! Love the oats on top as well.

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    1. Than you, Mimi! We really loved it and I'll definitely be making it again!

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  9. Susan, such a beautiful bread! I love the one at Cheesecake Factory and I'm so excited to try yours. And I looooove your kitchen experimentation! Thanks for doing all the hard work so we can enjoy this lovely bread! It would be so wonderful as grilled cheese - Yum!

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    1. I love it when I get so excited about a recipe that I try to perfect it, just like you :) Thank you, Kelly!

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  10. I've never been to a Cheesecake Factory, but I'm craving this bread just the same. It looks delicious.

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  11. Oh Susan, this is one of my husband favorite bread...he always asks for extra when dining at Cheesecake Factory...thank for the recipe...looks amazing!
    Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thank you, Juliana! You are such a good baker, I know you'll love it :)

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  12. I also like this bread and used to make it quite often. Then I lost the recipe! Maybe I'll try it this weekend and freeze it for Thanksgiving!

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  13. I'm going to give it a try. A slice of freshly baked bread with a little butter and some jam - beats any cake IMO.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. I couldn't agree more :) Thank you, Amalia! I hope you love it as much as I do.

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  14. It looks fantastic. I like the combination of the dark bread with those oats on top. It is an elegant bread, just the thing for a special occasion like Christmas.

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    1. Thank you, Anca! The flavor is so good, I could eat a whole mini loaf :)

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  15. Oh my! I have to try this. I bet it would be delicious as a chicken salad sandwich or toast or just about any way. Thanks Susan!

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  16. this looks so good and haven't; been there in years didn't even think it had bread.

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    1. Thank you, Rebecca! It's so delicious I have to control myself :)

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  17. Love to bake bread at home, I should definitely try this one, looks amazing☺

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  18. What a great bread , molasses adds such nice flavor.

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    1. Thank you, Gerlinde! We thoroughly enjoyed this and will continue to make it often :)

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  20. Your bread looks amazing. I can only imagine how good it tastes.There is nothing like homemade bread

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  21. OMG you have no idea how much I love that bread. In fact I request it and oftentimes find I’ve eaten the entire loaf they place on the table before even touching my entree. I will definitely rely be making this.

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  23. Hello, I tried this recipe but unfortunately the dough didn't rise even though I made sure that everything was at room temperature and my yeast was alive. So I was thinking about activating the yeast by adding it to the milk before adding to the dough and reduce the amount of heavy cream.

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    1. I'm sorry you had a problem with the recipe, Roynah. Did you add 1 full tablespoon (not teaspoon) of yeast? Otherwise, it sounds like you did everything right. I did use my bread machine which does create a nice, warm environment for the first rise. I hope you have better luck next time!

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