Crusty Multi Grain Sandwich Bread

For some reason, homemade bread season has been delayed around here–extra odd when you consider the chilly weather. But I finally got around to it earlier in the week when I made the Indian Spiced Pumpkin Lentil Stew. Granted, I realize that one might have expected Indian flatbread or basmati rice to accompany that stew, but I wanted stew with homemade bread, the kind of bread I grew up with, so that is what we had. With Indian spices in the stew.

This recipe started with a recipe for Sennebec Hill Bread from Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads, Soups & Stews, but it called for a cup of rye flour, which I dislike and therefore do not keep around. So I subbed some teff seeds, some potato flour, and some additional white whole wheat flour. I also subbed honey for molasses since I am not that big on molasses in bread.

Crusty and chewy, this was an excellent multigrain sandwich bread. It also made fantastic toast–which we only got have for one day before I accidentally left the bagged bread on the counter and Finnegan stole it. Sigh. But it was great while it lasted.

I am submitting this to Wild Yeast‘s Yeastspotting–be sure to look for it every Monday.

Crusty Multi Grain Sandwich Bread
Adapted from Bernard Clayton

1/2 cup coarse stone ground cornmeal
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 T teff seeds (optional)
1/2 cup potato flour
1 cup dry nonfat milk
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 T salt
2 cups water near boiling
4 egg yolks, room temperature
2 scant T active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
Approx. 2 cups bread flour

Mix together the first 9 ingredients. Pour the hot water over them and stir. Leave to cool to 110-120 F (lukewarm). Add the egg yolks and yeast and white whole wheat flour and beat vigorously until well mixed (use the flat beater if using a mixer), about 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the bread flour by the half cupful–this is a very stiff dough. You will quickly need to switch to the dough hook if using a mixer. Likewise, knead the last cup of flour in by hand if necessary.

Knead the dough for 8 minutes. Place in a greased large, deep bowl–roll the ball of dough so that the top gets greased as well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 45-90 minutes, until doubled (it will depend on temperature of room).

*For a less chewy bread, Clayton offers the option of a second rise in the bowl, something I did not have time for. If you want to do this, punch the dough down and leave it, covered, in the bowl again until doubled.

Grease 2 9X5 loaf pans. Turn the oven on to 375 F.

Divide the dough in half, kneading the air bubbles out as you go. Shape each half into a loaf, pinching a seam down one side. Place the loaves seam side down into the greased loaf pans. Spray lightly with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Leave to rise until doubled, 45-60 minutes.

When the oaves have doubled, remove the plastic wrap carefully and place the pans into the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes, at which time turn the loaves around and reduce the heat to 350 F. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the loaves reach an internal temperature of 200 F. Turn the loaves out onto a rack to cool. Wait at least 20 minutes before slicing.