Braided Multigrain Loaf Food

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 (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!

MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add wheat berries and gently boil for 20 minutes. Drain and let cool. In an electric mixer, combine 1/4 cup water, yeast, and honey. Let stand until yeast is creamy, about 10 minutes. Add sponge and mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add flours, rye meal, cracked wheat, millet, flax, salt, and remaining water; mix, using the paddle, on low speed for 2 minutes. Change to dough hook and mix on medium-low speed for 6 minutes. Add sunflower seeds and cooked wheat berries; mix for 1 minute. Pull dough down from the hook and press the dough into the seeds at the bottom of bowl. Continue to mix until the seeds are completely incorporated and the dough is wet and tacky, 2 minutes. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand, 4 or 5 turns, into a bail. Place the dough, smooth side up, in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until increased to 1 1/2 times the size, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough and fold it over onto itself 4 or 5 times. Turn folded side face down in the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 hour.
• Liberally sprinkle 2 braided Brotformen, if using, with flour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Cover one piece of dough loosely with oiled plastic wrap. On an unfloured surface, knead the other piece of dough into a ball. Cup your hands around it and move it on the work surface in small, circular motions, until top is rounded and bottom is smooth.
• Place the shaped loaf, bottom up, in a Brotform. Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and then with a towel. Repeat shaping process with the second piece of dough. (If you're not using Brotformen, shape dough in the same way and place on parchment dusted with coarse cornmeal; coat the bottom and 1 inch up the sides with corn meal. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and then with a clean towel.) Let loaves rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Thirty minutes before this final rise is completed, place a baking stone, if using, in lower third of oven and an empty baking pan on the lowest shelf. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Transfer one loaf from a Brotform to a baker's peel or baking sheet sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. Using a razor blade or serrated knife, slash the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Slide onto the baking stone. Repeat with second loaf. If not using a stone, slash tops and bake on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Quickly pour 2 cups of very hot water into the heated baking pan to create steam, and close the oven door. Bake until dark golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom, about 25 to 30 minutes. If the bread darkens too quickly, lower temperature to 425 degrees after 15 minutes of the baking time. Let bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

SEEDED MULTIGRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add wheat berries, and gently boil for 20 minutes. Drain, and let cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/4 warm cup water, yeast, and honey. Let stand until yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add sponge, and mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add flours, rye meal, cracked wheat, millet, flax, salt, and remaining 2 1/4 cups warm water; mix, using the paddle attachment, on low speed for 2 minutes. Change to dough hook, and mix on medium-low speed for 6 minutes. Add sunflower seeds and cooked wheat berries; mix for 1 minute. Pull dough down from the hook, and press the dough into the seeds at the bottom of bowl. Continue to mix until the seeds are completely incorporated and the dough is wet and tacky, 2 minutes. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand, four or five turns, into a ball. Place the dough, smooth side up, in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until increased to 1 1/2 times the size, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough, and fold it over onto itself four or five times. Turn folded side face down in the bowl. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 hour.
• Liberally sprinkle two braided Brotformen, if using, with flour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and cut in half. Cover one piece of dough loosely with oiled plastic wrap. On an unfloured surface, knead the other piece of dough into a ball. Cup your hands around it, and move it on the work surface in small, circular motions, until top is rounded and bottom is smooth.
• Place the shaped loaf, bottom up, in a Brotform. Cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap and then with a towel. Repeat shaping process with the second piece of dough. (If you're not using Brotformen, shape dough in the same way, and place on parchment dusted with coarse cornmeal; coat the bottom and 1 inch up the sides with cornmeal. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and then with a clean towel.) Let loaves rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Thirty minutes before this final rise is completed, place a baking stone, if using, in lower third of oven and an empty baking pan on the lowest shelf. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Transfer one loaf from a Brotform to a baker's peel or baking sheet sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. Using a razor blade or serrated knife, slash the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Slide onto the baking stone. Repeat with second loaf. If not using a stone, slash tops and bake on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Quickly pour 2 cups of very hot water into the heated baking pan to create steam, and close the oven door. Bake until dark golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom, about 25 to 30 minutes. If the bread darkens too quickly, lower temperature to 425 degrees after 15 minutes of the baking time. Let bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.