Multigrain Loaf Recipes

HOMEMADE MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Add the multigrain flour to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Pour in the boiling water, and carefully stir the flour and water with a rubber spatula until it forms a thick paste. Stir in the butter until well combined. Let the mixture cool for about 20 minutes.
• Once the multigrain mixture is warm to the touch and not hot, stir in the honey until thoroughly combined. Stir in the yeast (and vital wheat gluten if using, in that order). It's important to make sure the mixture truly is lukewarm before adding the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
• Add the all purpose flour, ¼ cup at a time, and knead until the dough ball is smooth. This will take about 10-15 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky, but should not stick to a rubber spatula. Soft dough makes soft bread, so do not use more flour than necessary!
• Use the rubber spatula to clean the sides of the bowl, and form the dough into a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with a plate, and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
• Once the first proofing is done, sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt over the dough and knead again for another 5 minutes to make sure the salt is evenly distributed.
• Shape the dough into a smooth dough ball, cover with a plate, and let it rise again in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size. If you are proofing the dough in the microwave like I do, you'll need another large mug of boiling water for the second proofing.
• While the dough is proofing, grease 2 loaf pans (9" x 5") with cold butter and set them aside. I use cold butter, as it's easier to handle and goes on in a thin layer. I simply take a cold stick of butter, peel back the wrapper, and rub it along the inside of the loaf pans to coat.
• After the second proofing is done, cut the dough into two equal portions. Knead and roll each piece into a loaf shape with a smooth top. On a clean work surface, spread the rolled oats in a thin layer.
• Very lightly brush the top of the loaves with water and gently flip the moistened top onto the thin layer of rolled oats. The oats will cling to the loaf. Then carefully place the loaves, oat-side up into the greased pans. Allow to rise for 1 more hour before baking, repeating the proofing protocol as in the first and second proofings.
• When you're halfway through the last proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F. When the third proofing is complete, bake the loaves in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes, until golden brown. If you tap the bread, and it sounds hollow, it's done.
• Cool for about 5 minutes, and carefully remove the hot bread from the pans. Transfer to a cooling rack to prevent the bread from steaming inside the loaf pan. Slice and serve!

MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Soak 1/3 cup bulgur in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 minutes; set aside. Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons honey. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle or dough-hook attachment. Add butter and remaining 1 1/2 cups water and 3 tablespoons honey. Whisk flour with salt; add 3 cups to yeast. Mix on low speed until smooth. Mix in soaked bulgur, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup flaxseeds, and 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds. Add remaining 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until dough comes away from sides of bowl and forms a ragged, slightly sticky ball. Butter a large bowl.
• Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to prepared bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Let dough stand in a warm place until it doubles in volume (it should not spring back when pressed), about 1 hour. Butter two 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Punch down dough; divide in half.
• Shape 1 dough half into an 8 1/2-inch-long rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Fold long sides of dough in to middle, overlapping slightly. Press seam to seal. Transfer dough, seam side down, to pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush tops of loaves with egg wash (beaten egg white mixed with water), not butter, and sprinkle with oats and sunflower seeds. Dab tops with egg wash to help adhere. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drape loaves with plastic. Let stand until dough rises about 1 inch above tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake, rotating pans after 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.

BREAD MACHINE MULTIGRAIN LOAF

Steps:

• Make 1 1/2-pound recipe with bread machines that use 3 cups flour, or make 2-pound recipe with bread machines that use 4 cups flour.
• Measure carefully, placing all ingredients in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• Select Basic/White cycle. Use Medium or Light crust color. Remove baked bread from pan; cool on cooling rack.

ORGANIC MULTIGRAIN LOAF

Steps:

• Soak grains in water overnight. Add flours, malt and 1 1/4 cups water. Let rest 10 to 20 minutes. Add sourdough levain and yeast. Handknead 15 to 18 minutes (or knead with machine for 12 to 14 minutes on slow speed.). Add salt in last 4 minutes of kneading. Let rise in greased bowl, covered with a damp towel for 3 hours at 78 degrees. Divide dough and form into different shapes. Bake in preheated 475 degree oven for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 425 degrees and bake for anther 40 minutes.

HEARTY MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select cycle; press Start.

BASIC MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons honey. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add butter and remaining 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water and 3 tablespoons honey. Whisk together all-purpose, whole-wheat, and rye flours with salt; add 3 cups to yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until smooth. Add remaining 3 1/4 cups flour mixture, 1 cup at a time. Add wheat berries, bulgur, 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup flaxseed, and 1/3 cup sunflower seeds; mix on low to combine. Continue mixing until dough comes away from sides of bowl and forms a ragged, slightly sticky ball.
• Butter a large bowl. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to prepared bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Let dough stand in a warm place until it doubled in volume (it should not spring back when pressed), about 1 hour. Butter two 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Punch down dough and divide in half.
• Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape into a 7-by-7-inch square. Fold dough into thirds; press seam to adhere and pinch ends to seal. Place seam side down in loaf pan. Repeat process with remaining piece of dough.
• In a small bowl, mix egg white with 1 teaspoon water and brush mixture over tops of loaves; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons rolled oats, remaining 1 tablespoon flaxseeds, and remaining 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds.
• Spray two pieces of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray; drape loaves with prepared plastic wrap and let stand until dough rises about 1 inch above tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees for conventional, 425 degrees for convection. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees (conventional) or 375 degrees (convection).
• Uncover loaves and transfer to oven. Bake, rotating pans after 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown and internal temperature reaches 205 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes total. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.

BRAIDED MULTIGRAIN LOAF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix whole wheat flour, oats, rye flour, yeast, salt and 1 cup all-purpose flour. In a small saucepan, heat milk, honey, water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour; beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in rice and enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Cover and let rest 5 minutes. Roll each portion into an 18-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid. Shape into a ring. Pinch ends to seal; tuck under., Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°., For topping, in a small bowl, whisk egg and water; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sunflower kernels. Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

MULTIGRAIN LOAF (BY THE CANADIAN LIVING TEST KITCHEN)

Steps:

• Preparation:
• Starter: In large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, stirring until mixture is consistency of thick pancake batter, about 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in warm place until bubbly and puffy, and wheaty aroma develops, 8 to 12 hours.
• Stir in 3-1/4 cups (800 mL) of the flour, warm water, honey and salt to make soft sticky dough.
• Turn out onto generously floured surface; knead, dusting with as much of the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into ball; place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover dough with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
• Grease 9- x 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan; set aside.
• Punch down dough. Shape into ball; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Press into 11- x 8-inch (28 x 20 cm) rectangle. Starting at short end, roll up into cylinder; pinch along bottom and ends to seal. Fit, seam side down, into prepared pan. Cover with clean tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
• Topping: Dust top of loaf with flour. Slash top lengthwise down centre, starting and ending about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from edges of pan. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until instant-read thermometer registers 215°F (102°C) and loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool.
• Additional Information
• Variations
• Unbleached White Loaf:
• Replace multigrain bread flour with unbleached white bread flour. Replace buckwheat honey with mild liquid honey.
• Whole Wheat Loaf:
• Replace multigrain bread flour with whole wheat bread flour.

MULTIGRAIN BREAD (2 LB LOAF)

Steps:

• Place ingredients in order listed or according to your bread machine manufacturers instructions. Put settings for a 2 lb loaf, multigrain loaf for a light or medium crust. Wait and enjoy!