Multigrain Sandwich bread - a take on Struan

Many of you will be familiar with different versions of Peter Reinhart's Struan, a multigrain sandwich bread that he seems to have a version of in each of his books. I have often made the version from "Artisan Breads Every Day" and my customers (and I!) find it very tasty. I make it quite a bit.

I decided to try a version with some different ingredients, just for a different flavour profile, and I think I've hit on a winner. The original had corn meal, oats, wheat bran and cooked brown rice (I used basmati rice). This time, I substituted durum semolina, spelt flakes, ground flax seed and cooked wild rice. Here's the formula:

• 351 g bread flour (I use Roger's Silver Star)
• 23 grams durum semolina (fine)
• 16 grams spelt flakes
• 12 grams ground flax seed
• 31 grams cooked wild rice
• 31 grams brown sugar
• 10 grams salt
• 10 grams yeast (active dry)
• 16 grams honey
• 187 grams water
• 62 grams kefir (could use any milk, or milk and yogurt blend)

All ingredients were mixed in a stand mixer for 2 minutes, then rested for 10, then mixed for another 2 minutes. The dough was stretched and folded at 10 minute intervals 4 times then bulk fermented in the fridge overnight.

Lovely stretchy soft dough...

By morning it had risen to fill the little container I put it in, and the dough was full of nice bubbles.

In the morning I shaped it and let it proof until an inch above the rim of the pan. I scored it down the centre (I do this for most of my pan breads so they don't split at the side) and baked at 350F for 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

It had nice oven spring and a good colour when baked.

I could hardly wait to cut into it, see the crumb and taste it - it smelled sooooo good! Also, I had orders for seven loaves and had to make sure it was good before making the dough for that order. :) And I was not disappointed...

The crumb is very moist and soft (mind you, I didn't wait until it was fully cool before cutting it, but still...), and a beautiful soft warm yellow hue from the semolina. The crust is thin and easily cut. There is enough texture from the slightly undercooked wild rice and the spelt flakes and the flavour is simply wonderful. I could eat half a loaf just with butter! Tomorrow I'll have a couple of slices toasted for breakfast (that's my second test). And bake another seven loaves!