Multi-Grain Bread

I’ve never made multi-grain bread before, so after much searching of recipes, I found most call for all different kinds of grain. Do I look like a grainery? So I finally found a recipe that uses multi-grain breakfast flakes cereal. Aha! I can do that. I used Wal-mart’s brand, Great Value “Multi-Grain Cereal”. It’s unsweetened and made with wheat bran, corn meal, rolled oats, and rice.

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Yield:  1 large loaf, or 2 regular size loaves

RECIPE

• 1 cup crushed multi-grained breakfast flakes cereal
• 2 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 pkg (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Crush some multi grain cereal in a plactic bag with a rolling pin until you have 1 cup of crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large mixing bowl, and then pour the 2 1/2 cups hot water over the crumbs.

Stir, and then allow to stand until it cools to 105 to 115 degrees.  Stir in the yeast until it is dizzolved,

and then allow to sit until the yeast begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Then stir in the oil,

honey,

and salt.

Stir well. Then add the flours, white,

and wheat,

one cup at a time and mixing well between. Turn dough out onto well-floured surface,

and knead for 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky, so add more white flour as needed.  Here it is after kneading:

Place dough into a lightly greased bowl, and turn greased side up.

Cover with a couple of dish towels

and allow to rise for 1 hour, or until double in size. I sometimes have a hard time getting dough to rise in the winter as it can be kinda chilly in our house. Problem solved:  Use a heating pad on the low setting and set the bowl onto it, then cover with the towels. Here it is after it has risen:

 

By the way, check out this scraper I just got for cleaning the dough off the table. 

Isn’t it just the cutest thing?

Anyway, after the dough has risen, punch it down, and then knead 3 or 4 times. Roll or flatten dough out with your hands into a 12″ X 16″ rectangle. Starting at a narrow end, roll up the dough.

Pinch the seam and ends closed,

and place dough on a greased baking sheet, seam side down.

“That’s going to be a huge loaf. Note to self, and whoever else might be listening to my thoughts: Next time, divide in half and make 2 loaves.”

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover dough again with a towel and allow to rise again for 30 minutes, or until double in size.  Uncover dough, and cut 3 slashes across the top with a sharp wet knife. 

Place a oven-safe dish with 2 cups hot water on a lower rack in the oven, and then place the dough on a middle rack.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.

Harland:  What are you going to do with that?

Me: Huh, what do you mean?

Harland: It looks like Jabba The Hut.

Me:  *Sigh* Giggle (he’s right, it does)

Melt butter over the top and sides of the loaf, and allow to cool before slicing.

Toast and add butter or honey, and have with a cup of tea.

Or serve with Chicken Noodle Soup. 

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, with Homemade Noodles.    Hmm…..  Stay tuned.

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