Hearty Multigrain Bread Recipes

SOFT MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Place cereal mix in a large heatproof bowl (you can also use the bowl of your stand mixer). Pour boiling water on top. Let the mixture cool until a digital thermometer reads about 110°F (43°C). This usually takes 20 minutes. Pay attention to the temperature because if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it became too cool, however, it's not a problem- the dough may just take a few extra minutes to rise.
• Whisk the yeast, sugar, and all of the warm water/cereal mixture in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy and bubbly on the surface.
• Add the butter, salt, and 1 cup (about 130g) flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add another cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Add all of the remaining flour and the seeds/nuts (if using), then beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. If it seems too sticky, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time until it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. *If you do not own a mixer, you can mix this dough with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle!*
• Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if you used the paddle) and beat for an additional 2 minutes OR knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes. Dough is soft, yet heavy.
• Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter. Takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
• Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
• When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 8×15 inches. It does not have to be perfect- in fact, it will probably be rounded on the edges. That's ok! Roll it up into an 8 inch log and place in the prepared loaf pan.
• Cover shaped loaf with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until it's about 1-2 inches above the top of the loaf pan, about 1 hour. (See photo above for a visual.)
• Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). (It's best to bake the bread towards the bottom of the oven so the top doesn't burn.)
• Bake for 35-40 minutes- if you notice the top browning too quickly during bake time, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. How to test for doneness- give the loaf a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it's done. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F-200°F (90°C-93°C).
• Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Feel free to let it cool completely before slicing, too.
• Cover leftover bread tightly and store at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

HEARTY MULTIGRAIN SEEDED BREAD

Steps:

• Mix warm water and sugar together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved; stir in yeast. Set aside until a creamy foam starts to form, about 5 minutes.
• Combine bread flour, whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and salt in a food processor; pulse 4 times. Add chia seeds, wheat germ, flax seeds, millet, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, and 1 tablespoon oats; pulse until incorporated.
• Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture in the food processor; process until a dough ball forms, about 1 minute.
• Turn dough into a well-oiled large bowl and cover with a damp towel; allow to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and knead a few times. Form dough into an oblong shape and place in a greased bread pan. Lightly press the remaining hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and oats onto the loaf. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm area for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through and crust is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool bread in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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 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.

HEARTY MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

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

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.

HEARTY WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Stir water and yeast together and let set for a minute.
• Add everything up to the bread flour, plus 1 cup of the bread flour. Beat by hand to combine, then use dough hooks and finish beating for 2 minutes.
• Add more of the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until you have a nice, manageable dough.
• Turn out and knead for 2 minutes, then cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough, about 10 minutes. Put back in bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled.
• Punch dough down and shape into 2 loaves. Place in well greased pans (I use Pam). Let rise to the top of the pans.
• With a very sharp knife, make two slashes about 1/2" deep on each loaf.
• Bake at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes.

MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available. , Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or flour if needed).