Multigrain Bread

I love bread. There's not too many smells better than yeast and flour baking together in a hot oven. The smell permeates the entire house causing your mouth to water in anticipation of that warm bread slathered in a delicious salted butter. I do believe that this combination is truly a bite of heaven.

This recipe came about because of a girls visit to the beach with my mama and my daughter this summer. We found this little bakery, and with noses and mouths covered we ventured inside to see what they made. One of their specialties was homemade bread with no preservatives, and my mom decided to try a piece of their multigrain bread. 

As we were walking back to the car, my mom said, "You could totally make a multigrain bread like that." Well, yeah, I guess I could. I've been experimenting with bread making during the pandemic, and I've gotten much better at it. And since my mama asked me to, well... 

I did some research, and ended up coming up with my own recipe. I did goof on the photo and forgot to add the sugar and olive oil to the ingredients, so don't forget those. But you know what? It's pretty tasty. It's got a great texture, and overall it's pretty darn healthy as bread goes. If you want  to make it "whole wheat" you just need 51 percent whole wheat flour, so increase whole wheat flour to 2 cups and reduce the bread flour by 1 cup. 

You're going to want to give this recipe a try. You're family won't be disappointed. I promise!

 2 1/2 to 3 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup multigrain hot cereal (I use a 10-grain version)
2 cups boiling water
2 1/4 tsp active yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp barley malt

2 tsps salt

1 tsp pepitas or sunflower seeds

1 tsp triticale or oats

1/2 tsp flax seed

1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1/2 tsp oat bran

1/2 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp everything bagel seasoning

Put the 1/2 cup of multigrain cereal in your stand mixer and add 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until combined. Allow to rest 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally

until the mixture cools to 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add poppy seeds, flax seed, sesame seed and oat bran to a small bowl; combine well. Put pepitas and triticale in another small bowl. I don't put these together because I've found that they don't blend well; they separate.

Add 2 1/4 tsp active yeast and 1 Tbsp sugar; stir. Allow to rest and bloom for about 10 minutes. The top should be foamy, and you should be able to smell the yeast.

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil (use a good one with flavor to add depth to your bread), 2 tsps salt, 1 cup whole wheat flour, and 2 1/2 cups bread flour. Begin mixing and kneading the dough with a dough hook; knead for 8 minutes. Add flour about a tablespoon at a time until the dough doesn't stick to the bowl anymore. Proceed cautiously, and try not to add too much flour.

Place dough in a well-oiled bowl - I use a spray bottle of olive oil; it gives me good coverage without wasting too much. Cover with a clean tea towel, and allow to rise for 90 minutes.

Punch down dough and knead on a clean cutting board a few times. Decide what shape you're making your bread. I've made this batch as six small sandwich-shaped loaves, two round loaves, and one round loaf or one long oblong loaf. Any version is fine. Gently shape the loaf, pinching  together on the bottom. Ensure it is smooth. I did mine in two loaves - sprinkle about a quarter of the seeds on the the board and roll the bottom of the shaped loaf in the seeds to press them into it. Place the loaf on a silicone baking mat on a cookie tray. 

Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes. I lightly spritz mine with a little water so they don't dry out. Turn the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a small pan of water in the oven and let it heat up.

Put another quarter of the seeds on top and gently press them info the dough. Sprinkle a little flake salt on top, about 1/8 tsp or so. Do the remaining loaves. Slice the tops of the loaves and then spritz with water. Put the bread in the oven and spray several more times. Close the door quickly and bake bread for 25-30 minutes until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it. My oven is crazy and cooks unevenly, so about 10-12 minutes in when I turn the pan, I cover the loaves with aluminum foil.

Let cool, and enjoy this delicious bread with some tasty salted butter!