Multigrain Bread

I was a very lucky girl growing up. My Mom was an amazing cook and my Dad made amazing bread. There was always an abundance of good food at my house. I realize as I get older that  I took for granted my Mom's cooking and my Dad's bread baking. 

I can remember as a kid getting so excited to go out, to eat fast food, or for the junky white bread. It was (what I thought) a treat for us but now I love home made meals and home baked bread far more than restaurant or store bought. Well sometimes I like restaurants because I don't have to clean or do dishes.

Recently I have been trying to bake more and more. Also, I have been trying to do whole grains. I came across a multigrain bread recipe that I thought was genius because it used hot cereal as the base which is great so I don't have to go and buy and deal with each of the grains. I have tweaked the original recipe into something I love. The bread is delicious. Earthy and full of goodness! Bake some and you'll feel healthier for it but then you might add a ton of butter on it and feel a little less healthy.

Multi-Grain Bread

adapted from Cook's Country

*I use weight measurements in most of my baking for more precise weight. You can pick up a scale at most stores and your baking will thank you.

180 grams Nine Grain Hot Cereal

544 grams Boiling Water

1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast

100 grams Honey

4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted and Cooled

450 grams Whole Wheat Flour

170 grams All-Purpose Flour

50 grams Gluten Flour

20 grams Salt

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 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour.
Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, butter, yeast, and salt and mix 1 1/2-2 minutes; 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, add 2-3 tablespoons additional all-purpose flour and knead until it does.  Don’t add more!) continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes.  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.  Press 1 piece of dough into 9×6 inch rectangle, with short side facing you.  Roll dough toward you into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go.  Turn loaf seam side up and pinch it closed.  Repeat with second piece of dough.  Spray loaves lightly with water or vegetable oil spray.  Roll each loaf in oats to coat evenly and place seam side down in prepared pans, pressing gently into corners.  Cover loaves loosely with greased plastic and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size 30-40 minutes.  Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.
Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake until loaves register 200 degrees, 35-40 minutes.  Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.  Remove loaves from pans, return to rack, and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing and serving.
Storage: Bread can be wrapped in double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Wrapped with additional layer of foil, bread can be frozen for up to a month.