Multi-Grain Bread

We have an awesome kitchen supply store in Arizona that not only sells top of the line kitchenware, but they also carry 50# bags of wheat berries, and have weekly cooking classes.  Once or twice a year, my friends and I make the long drive to stock up on all of our bread-making supplies.  

Shar's Kitchen has a tasty Multi-Grain and Seed Bread recipe that many of us enjoy baking on the mountain. It's a nice loaf to compliment a hearty meal, and makes delicious toast.  Shar's recipe makes about 5 loaves of bread, and if you don't own a Bosch mixer (I don't...yet.) , it can be a LOT of dough to handle.  I've modified the recipe a bit to make two loaves, and it works nicely in my Kitchen Aid Mixer.

First, grind up some wheat (About 3 cups ground just to be sure you have enough.) OR  just buy some whole wheat flour at the store. ;)  As you can see, my fabulous Country Living Grain Mill looks a bit like a medieval torture device since my dad motorized it, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! It's so much easier than hand- cranking. 

Here are the ingredients for this recipe!

Multi-Grain and Seed Bread

(As adapted from the Shar's Recipe)

3 Cups very warm water

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

1/3 cup Canola Oil. (Coconut oil works,too.)

1/3 Cup Honey

1 1/2 Tablespoons Dough Enhancer

1 1/2 Cups White Bread Flour

1 1/2 Tablespoons of yeast

2 Cups of Fresh Ground Wheat Flour (more as needed to make dough workable)

1 Cup Spelt Flour

1 Cup Kamut Flour

1/4 Cup Nine Grain Cracked Cereal

1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds

2 1/2 Tablespoons Millet

2 1/2 Tablespoons Flax

2 1/2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds

Mix up all ingredients in a Kitchen-Aid Mixer with a paddle attachment on.  After mixed, change to a dough hook and knead for about 8 minutes. The dough should be coming clean from the sides of the bowl. If it's sticking to the sides, add more flour a little at a time until it comes clean. If it is too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time until it looks right. The dough will be a bit sticky, but will still come together as a dough ball.  After kneading, divide dough into two loaves and put into loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray.  Leave to rise in a warm place for 30 to 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 Minutes.

Below are my two dough balls after kneading in the Mixer.

Next, are the loaves after rising for 45 minutes covered and in a warm place.

After Baking:

Sliced and ready for lunch!