Multigrain Bread

Multigrain bread, i can sound like something not very tasty, but I got this recipe from one of my favorite books, "Family Baking Book" and decided to give it a try... and I wasn't disappointed at all! So, here we go:


Ingredients:

1 cup seven-grain hot cereal mix (I used Bob's Red MIll, you can find it at Publix, Tria or Whole Foods)
2 cups boiling water
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for brushing.
3 Tbsp. honey
2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 envelope (2 1/4 tspn.) Instant or rapid-rise yeast.
1 1/2 tspn. salt
1/2 cup unsalted pumpkin or sunflower seeds (I used salted and roasted sunflower seeds)
1/4 old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats.





Directions:


1. Stir the cereal mix and boiling water together in a medium bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture resembles a thick porridge and is just warm (about 110 degrees), abut 30 minutes. Stir in the melted butter and honey.

2. Combine 2 1/2 cups of the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, yeast and salt in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the cereal mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.

3. Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding the seeds during the final minute of mixing. If after 4 minutes more flour is needed, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

5. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and, gently press into a 9-inch square. Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. Place the loaf seam side down, in the prepared pan. Mist the loaf with vegetable oil spray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size and the dough barely springs back when poked with a knuckle, 45 to 75 minutes).

6. Adjust an over rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the loaf lightly with melted butter, sprinkle with the oats, then spray lightly with water. Bake until golden and the center of the bread registers 200 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the loaf halfway through baking. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours before serving.


TO MAKE AHEAD:

In step 4, do not let the dough rise, but refrigerate it overnight or up to 16 hours; let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then continue with step 5.