Multi Grain Loaf

 

What a fabulous Mothers Day I had yesterday. The weather, the dinner, the love.  My bucket is full.  My husband made me a card about how I was a Superhero Mom, my oldest wrote me a letter with reasons why I am special to her and what I do as a Mom, my youngest daughter drew me pictures and wrote about my love. It doesn't get much better than that.  I also had another Mothers Day with my Mom.


This is fabulous bread.  It has a nice chew and lots of flavor.  And some nutrition to boot.


MULTI GRAIN BREAD

1 1/4 cup (6 1/4 ounces) seven-grain hot cereal mix
2 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour (not bread flour)
1 1/2 cups (8 1/4 oz) whole wheat flour
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled*
2 1/2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) oat bran, wheat bran or old fashioned oats

Place cereal mix in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour. Add in flours. Add honey, butter, and yeast and mix on low speed until combined.  Knead dough for 5 more minutes on counter or in a mixer.

Add seeds and knead for another minute or so.  Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand until seeds are dispersed evenly and dough forms smooth, round ball.  Place dough in large, lightly greased bowl; cover tightly with plastic and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.

Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans.  Or make one large bread on parchment paper. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and divide in half.  Press 1 piece of dough into 9×6 inch rectangle, with short side facing you.  Roll dough toward you into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go.  Turn loaf seam side up and pinch it closed.  Repeat with second piece of dough.

Cover loaves loosely with greased plastic and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size 30-40 minutes.

Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375F.  Bake until loaves register 200F, 35-40 minutes.  Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.  Remove loaves from pans, return to rack, and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing and serving.