The Best Multigrain Bread

After years of searching for a multigrain bread that I can bake at home, I found "the one". The flavor is perfect, with the perfect texture-- baked up light yet chewy, without being tough The not-so-secret ingredient is using a packaged 7-Grain hot cereal. I bake this every other Sunday, because I freeze one loaf. This makes perfect toast, grilled cheese sandwiches-- or any kind of sandwich.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword Multigrain bread, Whole Wheat Bread

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 45

Cooling Time 3

Total Time 5 45

Servings Slices

Calories 137kcal

Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Equipment

Stand Mixer with dough hook attachment
Mixing Bowl For proofing the dough
Bread Proofer An investment that is my favorite way to proof dough.
7 Grain Hot Cereal Key ingredient for this recipe
Small Bowls to pre-measure all of the ingredients
2 Bread loaf pan 8-1/2" x 4-1/2"
Non-Stick Baking Spray
Bread Knife
Baking Rack

Ingredients

HOT CEREAL:

6 ¼ ounces 7-grain hot cereal mix 1 1/4 cups; Recommended Bob's Red Mill or Arrow Head SEE NOTES
20 ounces boiling water 2 1/2 cups

DRY INGREDIENTS:

15 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour 3 cups; plus extra for dusting work surface
7 ½ ounces whole-wheat flour 1 1/2 cups

WET INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly

REMAINING INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon table salt
¾ cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, unsalted
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats

Instructions

MIX THE HOT CEREAL:

Place cereal mix in bowl of standing mixer and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour.

DRY INGREDIENTS:

Whisk flours in medium bowl.

FOR THE BREAD DOUGH:

Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter, and yeast and stir to combine.

AUTOLYSE:

Attach bowl to standing mixer fitted with dough hook.
With mixer running on low speed, add flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough forms ball, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest 20 minutes.

KNEAD THE DOUGH:

Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3 to 4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2 to 3 tablespoons additional all-purpose flour and continue mixing); continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes.
Add seeds and knead for another 15 seconds.

PROOF THE DOUGH:

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.

SHAPE THE DOUGH:

Spray two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and pat into 12 by 9-inch rectangle; cut dough in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper.
NOTE: for one large loaf, shape to fit a 1-1/2 pound loaf pan.

SHAPE LOAVES AND SECOND PROOF:

Spray a light coating of neutral oil and roll over oats to coat; cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. (Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.)

BAKE THE BREAD:

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake until internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes.
For a 1-1/2 pound loaf bake between 1 hour and 1 hour 10 minutes. Test that it has reached 200F
Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing, about 3 hours.

Notes

Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen

Don't confuse 7-grain hot cereal mix with boxed, cold breakfast cereals that may also be labeled "7-grain." Our favorite brands of 7-grain mix are Bob's Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills. Leftover bread can be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days; wrap with an additional layer of aluminum foil and the bread can be frozen for up to one month.

Nutrition