Multi-Grain Sandwich Bread

I've been into bread baking lately. Not plain old white bread (sorry kids!), but bread with a little more substance. 100% whole wheat bread tends to be a bit heavy and strong-tasting in my opinion, but bread made with a combination of white and whole wheat flour is a great compromise.

Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour are two great websites to go to for whole grain bread recipes. A feature that I like about the Bob's Red Mill website is that it allows you to search for a recipe depending on what you have on hand. I happened to have some 7-grain hot cereal that I wanted to use up and so I searched the recipe database on the website and it gave me several options, including this bread. The grains give the bread a nice flavor and texture. The inside of this bread is soft and makes a great sandwich bread and it's wonderful toasted.

Easy Multigrain Sandwich Bread
from Erika Bruce via www.bobsredmill.com

1 1/4 cups 7-Grain Cereal
2 1/2 cups Boiling Water
3 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 Tbsp Honey
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast
1 Tbsp Salt
3/4 cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds or Sunflower Seeds (Raw Shelled), optional
1/2 cup Oats, Rolled, Regular Old fashioned, optional

1. Place cereal mix in bowl of standing mixer and pour boiling water over it. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100°F and resembles thick porridge (about 1 hour). In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk flours together.

2. Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter and yeast. Stir to combine. Attach bowl to standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With mixer running on low speed, add flours ½ cup at a time, and knead until dough forms ball (1-1/2 to 2 minute); cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest 20 minutes.

3. Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3-4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2-3 Tbsp additional all-purpose flour and continue mixing); continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes.

4. Add seeds and knead for another 15 seconds. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead by hand until seeds are dispersed evenly and dough forms 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.

5. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375°F. Spray two 9” x 5” loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and pat into 12” x 9” rectangle; cut dough in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper.

6. To shape loaves, start with one half of the dough. With short side facing you, start at farthest end, roll dough piece into log. Keep roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. To seal loaf, pinch seam gently with thumb and forefinger. Repeat with other dough. Spray loaves lightly with water or nonstick cooking spray. Roll each dough in oats to coat evenly. (I formed the bread rounds, dusted them with flour, and cut a slit 1/4" deep in each loaf before setting the loaves aside to rise again.) Place loaf seam-side down in a greased loaf pan, pressing gently into corners. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, 30-40 minutes. (Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.)

7. Bake until internal temperature registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer (35-40 minutes). Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing, about 3 hours.