Good For You Grain Bread 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!

SEVEN-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl stir together 3/4 cup of the all-purpose flour, the cereal, and yeast; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan combine the water, applesauce, honey, and salt; heat and stir just until warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F). Add applesauce mixture and egg to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the whole wheat flour, sunflower seeds, and as much of the remaining all-purpose flour as you can.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1 to 1 1/2 hours).
• Punch down dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan.
• Shape dough into loaf. Place in prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (30 to 45 minutes).
• Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. (If necessary to prevent over browning, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.) Immediately remove bread from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

MULTIGRAIN BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• 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 100-105 degrees (F), about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, whisk flours and salt together in separate bowl; set aside.
• Once grain mixture has reached 100-105 F, add honey, butter, and yeast and stir until combined.
• Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Add flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough starts to come together.
• Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 20 minutes.
• Knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3-4 minutes. If it does not clear sides, keep adding 2 tablespoons additional all-purpose flour and knead until it does.
• Once it comes together, continue to knead dough for 5 additional minutes.
• Add seeds, and knead until seeds are evenly dispersed throughout the dough 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.
• Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and divide in half.
• Stretch first piece of dough into 9×6 inch rectangle.
• Roll dough into a cylinder, and place dough seam-side down in prepared loaf pan.
• Repeat with second piece of dough.
• Spray loaves lightly with water or vegetable oil spray.
• Sprinkle both loaves in oats.
• Cover loaves loosely with greased plastic, and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size 30-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Bake until loaves register 200 degrees, 30-40 minutes.
• Transfer pans to wire rack, and let loaves cool in pan for 5 minutes.
• Remove loaves from pans, and let them cool to room temperature on wire cooling rack.

WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Stir whole-wheat flour, bran, and 1 cup water in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Stir milk and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Put whole-wheat flour mixture, milk mixture, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the cornmeal, 3 tablespoons oats, the ground flaxseed, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add 2 1/2 cups bread flour; mix until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 2 minutes (if dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time). Continue kneading until dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes more.
• Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Add dough to bowl; turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight; bring to room temperature).
• Turn out dough onto a work surface; shape into a loaf about 9 inches long. Using a spray bottle, mist with water; sprinkle top with remaining 2 teaspoons oats and the whole flaxseed. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray. Transfer loaf to the pan, and cover lightly with the plastic wrap. Let stand until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mist oven with water; place loaf in oven. Bake 5 minutes; mist oven again. Continue to bake, rotating pan once, until well browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Unmold bread onto a wire rack; return to oven, and bake directly on oven rack 5 minutes more. Remove from oven; let cool completely on rack.