outback bread?

[Ken Jones]

What kind of bread does the Outback steak house serve. I love it and
hope to try making some at home provided I can find a recipe. Just got a
new bread machine to try out...

Thanks Ken
Oh yea reply directly if you like... fu...@blomand.net

[Puester]

Ken: This is from the Top Secret Recipes on the Web site:

Top Secret Recipes
version of Outback Steakhouse Honey Wheat Bushman Bread
by Todd Wilbur

Along with an entree at this popular steakhouse chain, comes
a freshly baked loaf of this dark,
sweet bread, served on it's own cutting board with soft whipped
butter. One distinctive feature of the
bread is its color. How does the bread get so dark? While you
may notice the recipe includes instant
coffee and cocoa, these ingredients will not give it it's deep
dark chocolate brown color - not even close.
Usually breads that are this dark -- such as pumpernickel or
dark bran muffins -- contain caramel
color, an ingredient often used in the industry to darken foods.
Since your local supermarket will not
likely have this mostly commercial product, we will make the
caramel color from a mixture of three food
colorings -- red, yellow and blue. Just be sure to get the food
coloring in the little droppers so that you
can count the drops as you measure. That's very important to
getting the color just right. You may also
opt to keep the color out. The bread will certainly taste the
same, but will look nothing like the real
deal. I suggest using a bread machine for the mixing and
kneading, if you have one.

Dough
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 cups bread flour
1 2/3 cups wheat flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkg.) yeast

Coloring
1/4 cup water
75 drops red food coloring
45 drops blue food coloring
30 drops yellow food coloring

cornmeal for dusting

1. If using a bread machine, add all of the ingredients for the
dough in the exact order listed into the
pan of your machine. Set it on "knead" and when the machine
begins to mix the dough, combine the food
coloring with 1/4 cup of water and drizzle it into the mixture
as it combines. After the dough is created
let it rest to rise for an hour or so. Then remove it from the
pan and go to step #3.
2. If you are not using a bread machine, combine the flours,
cocoa, sugar, coffee and salt in large bowl.
Make a depression or "well" in the middle of the dry mixture.
Pour the warm water into this "well," then
add the butter, honey and yeast. Combine the food coloring drops
with 1/4 cup of water and add that to
the "well." Slowly mix the ingredients with a spoon, drawing the
dry ingredients into the wet. When you
can handle the dough, begin to combine it by hand, kneading the
dough thoroughly for at least ten
minutes, until it is very smooth and has a consistent color. Set
the dough into a covered bowl in a warm
place for an hour, to allow it to rise.
3. When the dough has risen to about double in size, punch it
down and divide it into 8 even portions
(divide dough in half, divide those halves in half, and then
once more). Form the portions into tubular
shaped loaves about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. Sprinkle
the entire surface of the loaves with
cornmeal and place them on a cookie sheet, or two. Cover the
cookie sheet(s) with plastic wrap and let
the dough rise once more for another hour in a warm location.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake
it for 20-24 minutes in the hot oven.
Loaves should begin to darken slightly on top when done. Serve
warm with a sharp bread knife and
butter on the side. If you want whipped butter, like you get at
the restaurant, just use an electric
mixer on high speed to whip some butter until it's fluffy.
(http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Makes 8 small loaves.

Tidbits

It is normal for this dough to be a bit tacky and to seem
somewhat thin. Just be sure to add plenty of
flour to your hands and work surface when working with
the dough to prevent sticking.
If you are able to find caramel color, you can use that rather
than the food coloring formula described in
the recipe. Just measure 1 tablespoon of caramel color into
the dough mixture where the recipe uses
food coloring and water.

[Ken Jones]

Thanks a bunch...just bought a new bread machine to play with. I'll sure give
it a try and thanks for your info and the link.

Ken