Multigrain Bread

Baking bread is one of my favorite hobbies. I like to experiment with different flours and recipes. The recipe that I am baking today is based on a 7-grain cereal mix.

This is not to be confused with a cold breakfast cereal, but is a mix for a hot cereal.

The recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen, and they recommended either the brand that I used or Bob’s Red Mill brand. Neither brand is readily available at my local small town grocery store. Grocery stores in larger towns or health food stores carry this type of cereal.

This bread is sweetened with honey instead of sugar. I like the flavor of the honey in bread.

In addition to the 7-grain cereal, this recipe uses two kinds of flour. It calls for both whole wheat and unbleached flour.

Multigrain Bread

1 1/4 cups 7-grain hot cereal mix
2 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting work surface
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats

Instructions

Place cereal mix in bowl of stand mixer and pour boiling water over it. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour.

Whisk flours together in a medium bowl.

Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter, and yeast; stir to combine.

Attach bowl to stand mixer fitted with dough hook. With mixer running on low speed, add flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough forms ball, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 20 minutes.

Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3 to 4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2 to 3 tablespoons additional unbleached flour and continue mixing; continue to knead for 5 more minutes. Add seeds and knead for another 15 seconds.

Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand until seeds are dispersed evenly and dough forms a smooth taut ball.

Place dough into greased container with 4 quart capacity; cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position; preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 12 x 9 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper. With the short side facing you, starting at the farthest end, roll dough into a log. Keep roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. To seal loaf, pinch seam gently with thumb and forefinger. Spray loaves lightly with water or nonstick cooking spray. Roll each dough log in oats to coat evenly.

Place loaf seam-side down in greased loaf pan, pressing gently into corners. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. After rising, bake the loaves in a 375 degrees F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. When browned evenly, remove loaves from the oven. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing, about 3 hours.

After rising, bake the loaves in a 375 degrees F oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

This is such a good bread. It ranks with the best. you try this recipe, let me know how you like it.