Boston Brown Bread

Makes 4small loaves

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup (41⁄8 ounces) rye flour ¾ cup (4 1⁄8 ounces) wholewheat flour

¾ cup (3¾ ounces) fine white cornmeal

1¾ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

12/3 cups buttermilk

½ cup molasses 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly

¾ cup raisins

2 cups boiling water DIRECTIONS Fold four 12-by-8-inch pieces of aluminum foil in half twice to yield rectangles that measure 6 by 4 inches. Grease 1 side of each with vegetable oil spray. Coat the inside of four clean, empty 15-ounce cans with oil spray. Whisk the rye flour, wholewheat flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, molasses and melted butter together in second bowl. Stir the raisins into the buttermilk mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined and no dry flour remains.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cans and smooth the tops with the back of a greased spoon. Wrap tops of cans tightly with prepared foil, greased side facing batter.

Line bottom of slow cooker with parchment paper. Fill slow cooker with ½ inch boiling water (about 2 cups water) and set cans in slow cooker. Cover and cook until a skewer inserted in the center of loaves comes out clean, 3 to 4 hours on high. Using tongs and a sturdy spatula, transfer cans to a wire rack and let cool, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Invert cans and slide the loaves onto the rack; let cool completely, about 1 hour. Slice and serve. Brown bread is great as is or toasted and buttered. (Bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)