Friday, January 20, 2012

Four-Seeded Bread...

A dear friend gave me a special book, The Waldorf Book of Breads, and this recipe was the first one on the very first page.  It sounded so delicious and hearty, that I couldn't wait to make it.  In the notes it says, "This is the recipe for my most popular bread sold at the Viroqua (WI) Farmer's Market."  I know why!  The recipe says it makes 5 loaves, but I made 6.  I suppose it depends on how large you make your loaves.

Four-Seeded Bread
5 T. baking yeast
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. non-instant milk powder (I used instant)
1/4 c blackstrap molasses
8 c. warm water (approx 100*F)
3 T. salt
2 c. rolled oats
4 c. whole wheat flour
high-gluten white flour, enough for a kneadable dough (6-8 cups for me)
1 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. flax seeds
1/2 c. millet
1/2 c. sesame seeds

In a large mixing bowl, place yeast, oil, milk powder, and molasses in warm water, stir and let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir in oats and 4 cups whole wheat flour and salt.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Add seeds and high-gluten flour.  Knead well (or use mixer with bread hook).  Let rise till it doubles in size.  Punch down and let rise a half hour more.  Make into 5 or 6 loaves.  Let rise until doubled.  Bake in 400*F oven for 40-45 minutes until dark brown in color.  

*My Notes:
  I used instant powdered milk (it's what I had)
~I didn't have high-gluten bread flour so I used regular unbleached white and added about 4 t. gluten powder.
~I didn't have millet so I skipped it.
~When preparing the bread for the pans, I sprinkle some oats and sesame seeds in the bottom of the pan, then brush the formed loaf with an egg wash and place it in the pan.  Then sprinkle more oats/seeds on top.

~The results -- DELICIOUS!  I ate it without butter last night and then ate it toasted with orange marmalade for breakfast.  So good.  Really, it is!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've had a busy week.  DIL had her gall bladder removed so the Littles have spent quite a bit of time with Gram and Papa (which we love).  It also snowed about 6" here during the cold blast.  Sue loves to play fetch in the snow.
 
Sue
 from my front porch
 Mary Toodles trekking through the snow.

14 comments:

  1. Bread looks yummy!!!
    Isn't just beautiful today!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your terrain has a whole new fresh look! :)

    I was going to say, I don't have millet but I'll give it a go anyway, then I read that you made yours without it. My days have been so busy, but just this morning I checked the biggest thing off my list and dropped my girls off for a weekend retreat. I'm home all along... never happens. I'm going to go make bread! Thanks.

    Blessings, Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ohmygosh, is MaryToodles that big already? Such a cute picture! And that bread looks wonderful - perfect for the cold weather!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Came over from Little Prairie baby, oh I wish I had the patience to make bread! I can smell it fomr here!!

    That last picture!!!! OOOOOOOOoooo! So cute!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The look of your bread reminds me of the loaf some friends brought for lunch the other day. It was Swedish Sourdough with at least four kinds of seeds in it, and I think it was the best bread I've ever eaten! Maybe I will try your recipe combined with my old SD recipe.....well, probably not !! but it's mighty tempting.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jody, Your bread looks delicious. What a great idea to sprinkle some of the seeds in the bottom of the bread pan. That goes in the column...."Now why didn't I think of that?!!!"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mary, it's a gorgeous day with a good, crisp zing in the air.

    Debbie, I couldn't even find millet seed at the health food store. I could find millet flour, but not seed. Make it without or find another seed you like.

    Anna,
    Yes, Mary turned 1 year old a week or so ago! And she walks like a champ....even through the snow! She loves the snow and loves walking outdoors wherever she wants to go. About the bread....I could just eat bread and nothing else right now.

    Libbie,
    I've been baking bread since I was a 19 year old bride (and that was 30 years ago). You just have to begin, that's all. You can do it!

    Gretchen Joanna, I LOVE sourdough. I can imagine it with all those lovely seeds. Oh boy!

    Bonnie, I love the oats and seeds baked into the bottom and sides of the bread. Looks pretty and tastes extra-good.

    Thanks for your comments everybody! You make my day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can't think of a better cold weather comfort food than yummy homemade bread. It looks fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh yummy, I bet that warm, toasty, tasty bread hits the spot especially on these cold, windy winter days. Someone gave us some homemade jam and it is sooooooo good. It really begs for some homemade bread.

    MaryT. sure is a big girl to be taking off in the snow like that. I guess you can't keep 'em from growing up. Hope J is feeling better and recovering well.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello!

    I'm relatively new to your blog, but have been reading since the holidays. I am excited about this bread recipe you posted and can't wait to give it a try. From what I've seen, so many multi-grain breads have extensive (and complicated!) lists of ingredients that I would have to buy special for just the one recipe only, making the loaves expensive and lots of leftover ingredients to spoil. The simplicity of this recipe what interested me so much! I have all the flours, all the wet ingredients, and even the seeds too since hubby loves to snack on sunflower seeds. I'm sure I'll leave out the millet, but this is looks like such an easy, wholesome bread to make! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

    Btw- I love looking at your cold, snowy pictures of the ranch... I grew up in the frigid Northeast, but have since relocated to the snow-less South, so it's so much fun to reminisce (and not miss) the winter wonderlands! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, it looks fantastic and YOU are an awesome baker of bread!
    I was over at Kelli's all weekend and I had so much fun with Millie. She's so funny, crawling around like a little motor bug! Sophie and Clara were so good for Granny, too!
    Now I'm home. Whew! No baby yet!

    ReplyDelete
  12. As an addendum to my earlier comment... I found Millet! I was at my local natural market and found it in bulk. I bought some, but am now confused! It has a small, hard texture similar to quinoa. If you could answer me this one question, I'm not sure if the recipe specifies? Do I need to cook, soak or otherwise alter the millet or just add it to the bread like it is? It just seems like it would be tough or hard, when all the other seeds are edible just the way they are...Thanks in advance!

    Another question - did you like the Waldorf Book of Breads other recipes? I found the book on-line to purchase from one of my favorite on-line retailers and it is affordable! I was wondering if it would be worth purchasing! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your bread is gorgeous! And so is your snow--though I'd rather have the bread than the snow, I think. Enjoy those grandbabies!

    xofrances

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh, I want to make that bread, but I'm still fat ;(, and I know I'd eat the whole thing -- all 6 of them! And beautiful snow -- I'm so envious - maybe we'll get our annual 1/2" soon ;).
    ♥ ♥ ♥
    GG

    ReplyDelete

I love reading your comments. Thanks for stopping in. Sorry, but due to spam, only registered users can comment.