Multigrain Bread

It was a rainy day in Toronto yesterday so I spent the day in the kitchen. I made this multigrain bread, a batch of oatmeal cranberry cookies, chocolate pecan brownies and risotto with shrimp for dinner. March started off quite busy and I have had little time to cook so it was satisfying to spend the day in the kitchen.

As promised in an earlier post here is the multigrain bread recipe. I made this yesterday for the first time and it turned out great. The bread is full of flavour and healthy ingredients. I will definitely be adding this to my weekly baking.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup wheat berries
1 package or 2 t of active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted and finely chopped
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup natural wheat bran
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 t salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cup cool water
1/4 unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook wheat berries in 3/4 cups water until water boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer until wheat berries are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In the mixer bowl, stir together yeast and warm water. Let stand until yeast begins to foam, about 5 minutes. Add wheat berries, all-purpose flour, rolled oats, walnuts, whole wheat flour, bran, sugar, flax, pumpkin and sesame seeds, salt, egg, cool water and butter. Attach flat beater and mixer bowl to mixer. Set to Stir and mix until dough forms.

3. Remove flat beater and attach dough hook. Set to Speed 2 and knead until dough clings to the hook and just cleans the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. If dough is too sticky and wet add all-purpose flour 1 T at a time. Remove the mixer bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

4. Uncover dough and punch down several times to work out air bubbles. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and cut in half. As you work with one piece of dough, keep the other covered. Working with one piece at a time, pat dough into 15 x 9 inch rectangle. Starting with a long side, roll dough up jelly roll style and place a greased loaf pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with towels and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the top of the dough is nearly level with the top of the loaf pan. Meanwhile place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Using a sharp knife, make 3 parallel slashes down the middle of the loaves. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on the top and reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

Make ahead

Prepare dough through step 3 in the evening and let rise overnight in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping.

Makes 2 loaves