Hot cereal multi grain bread
I followed the recipe from America's Test Kitchen, sort of. I used a bit less salt. 2 1/2 tsp. and not 1 tlbs. Used 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds instead of 3/4 c. called for in recipe. I substituted Sir Lancelot for the all purpose flour. Weighed the cereal and flours, and water. (I had been relying on volume measures in the past). Followed recipe guidelines for mixing and kneading, and stuck to the minimum times in the ranges given, for 1st rise and proof. Baked at 375F. per recipe. The cereal, after boiling water was added, wanted to settle to the bottom of the mixing bowl, despite a few stirrings while it cooled. I used the Sir Lancelot flour to give myself an edge in gluten development.(anything will rise with that flour, I think) I used the smaller amt. of pumpkin seeds, thinking it would be fewer puncture points in the dough's envelope. The slightly smaller salt qty. was to lessen my sodium consumption mainly. The flavor didn't suffer from less salt. The bread smelled wonderfull as it baked yesterday, and when finally sliced it was as deliscious as it smellled. Nice open crumb, the shorter bake time, 35 min. was all it needed. I hope it comes as good when baked again. I think I could have used a different shaping method, as a few slices separated near the top. I followed their shaping suggestion in recipe. I am wondering if this recipe would work with all whole wheat flour, but have a feeling I would run into problems with the added cereal weight. I am happy with my first try. Thanks to all the contributors' helpful suggestions to a previous post, I was able t Ray
I ran out of the ability to edit my previous post. I had begun to say thanks to the helpful suggestions made by many others, regarding another poster's bread, I was able to make adjustments
in timing, without the trial and error. Ray
I think the bread is lovely to look at and if it tastes anywhere near how it looks YUM!
I am not a big eater of bread, but do enjoy the odd slice, which makes me as my mother always said an odd duck in her family.
that said I am starting to bake my own breads, and am enjoyign the process, and certainly will keep this recipe in mind (I do get the recipes and magazines that are on the Test Kitchen site)
Could you not substitute raw pumpkin seeds, or toast raw ones yourself, rather than use salted ones? That would give you the MUFA'a in the pumpkin seeds and much less salt all around.
Hi Eva, thanks for the nice compliment. The bread lived up to the baking fragrances coming from the oven. It makes really nice toast as well. The pumpkin seeds were unsalted, and I thought about toasting them first. Might try that next time. I am so used to making 100% whole wheat breads, this one made a pleasant change. I tried this bread for my wife, who spurns whole wheat bread, but I am not sure this try will convert her. I have to struggle to not eat so much bread. It takes a lot of effort and planning to cut back. I slice and freeze it as soon as is possible, to get it out of sight. I had a friend who frequently pushed away the other half of a sandwhich, and I could never understand that. I would always think, How could he? so you know where I am concerning bread. Thanks again, Ray
I once watched my ex SIL eat a whole loaf of bread, she had just taken 4 loaves out of the oven, and it was on the table cooling, and we were sitting having coffee, she started on a loaf, and just ate it while sitting there, I don't think she even realized she was doing it, she didn't cut it, just tore it off in chunks, ate it without butter, and then when she discovered what she had done, just laughed!
I used to love getting a warm crust end with a ton of butter on, but that was my only bread desire, I did like toast (thin sliced homeake bread makes the crispest toast) but other than that, I would take sandwiches apart when I had enough bread and eat the inners and leave the bread, still do that!
I just baked 4 loaves of whole wheat for my husband, well I kept the smallest loaf for myself, he likes his homemade bread, he's not into the store bought stuff at all, but the funny thing is he only eats it in the mornings for toast, and on the odd occasion for a snack with peanut butter or some jam. He doesn't eat with meals much, although if we are out and a dinner roll is offered, he will eat it.
I don't know how to upload a picture here, so can't show my baking off, but I do have some pictures up on www.PictureTrail.com/ebeaton in Bread album, I am using the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day recipes, because I can't knead due to shoulders and arms that won't work. But the process is the same,and I know at least what on earth went into the bread!
I cannot believe the stuff that winds up in bread in the supermarket, after all its just yeast, flour and water, with a bit of sugar sometimes. What's so hard about that, that it has to have 50$ words of chemicals added.