Multi-Grain Bread (No Knead)

It's been a while. But i'm making my come back with a good one. First of all, I love bread. I love homemade bread and I love how it makes the house smell. There should be a candle that's homemade bread scented cuz I would buy it and have it lit at all times. I don't make bread too often, mainly because of the work involved, but we always enjoy it when I do. That's one reason why this recipe caught my attention. No Knead. And it's something different, it's multi grain. I mostly just make regular whole wheat bread but I really wanted to try something different. A couple of the ingredients involved are a little out of the ordinary, but relatively easy to find. Besides, I figured if this is something I like and will be making more of in the future, I don't mind getting the things needed since i'll actually be using them. And yes, I will be making more! The bread turned out just how I hoped it would! The crust was chewy and the center was so soft and so chewy and so perfect. The recipe seems a little long, but the hands on time is minimal since most of it is waiting. Even the waiting time isn't so bad since it's such a huge range (3-10 hrs, for example), that you can work it around your schedule. I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites, and like them, I started this bread Saturday evening then put it in the fridge. Before bed that night I took it out and put it on the counter, then Sunday afternoon-ish moved on to the next step. This recipe can also be made as a kit in a jar to give away.

Multi-Grain Bread
Fom the book kneadlessly simple by Nancy Baggett, via. Our Best Bites





Ingredients:
3 C (15oz) unbleached white bread flour
1/4 C (1.25 oz) whole wheat flour
1/4 C brown rice flour
2 T rolled quick oats (not instant)
2 1/2 T granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1 1/2 T each sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flax seed, mixed together
2 T cornmeal
1 packet Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast
1 liter mason jar if you're making the kit (ps-don't forget to include the recipe if you're giving this away!)

Directions for the kit (if you're not making the kit, just place ingredients into a bowl instead of the jar): Place the white flour in the jar using a funnel. Tap the jar on the counter to settle the flour. Set aside 1 1/2 T. of the seed mixture, and place the rest in a bowl along with the whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, oats, sugar and salt. Stir to combine then place in the jar. Tap again to settle all the ingredients so everything fits. Take the set aside 1 1/2 T. of seed mixture and place in a small bag with the cornmeal. Place the bag, along with the packet of yeast into the top of the jar. That's all there is to the kit. They keep in the pantry for up to 1 1/2 months or refrigerate up to 3 months. I contemplated making a couple jars just to keep around so next time everything will already be measured out for me.

Ingredients:
1 Multigrain Bread Mix
Scant 2 C ice water
1 1/2 T canola oil

Directions:
Set aside yeast and cornmeal-seed packets. Place the rest of the jar ingredients into a bowl. Measure out 1 t. of yeast and place it into the bowl then stir. Stir ice cubes into some water and wait atleast 30 sec. before measuring. Slowly pour water into dry ingredients. Go slowly, you may not need all the water. If you add too much, just mix in a little more flour. Add enough to bring the dry ingredients together, stirring vigorously and scraping the bowl sides. The dough shoud be stiff.
Once combined, brush the top with a little oil and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3-10 hours then let rise at room temperature for 12-18 hours.

After rising, generously oil a 9x5 inch loaf pan and sprinkle half of the cornmeal-seed mixture into the bottom and up sides of the pan. Stir the dough briefly, then pour into pan. Brush the top lightly with oil, then spread the dough into the pan using your fingers. Brush the top of the loaf generously with water then immediately sprinkle the remainder of the cornmeal-seed mixture on top. (I'm not sure if I reserved too much for the top or if I just didn't use enough water, but after making I had a lot of extra loose cornmeal mixture that I just ended up dumping off from the top). Using an oiled knife, cut a 1/2 inch deep slash down the center of the dough. Cover the pan with greased seran wrap.

2nd Rise:
For a 2-4 hour regular rise: let stand at warm room temp.
For a 45 min- 2 hour accelerated rise: let stand in a turned off microwave along with 1 C of boiling water. When the dough nears the plastic, remove it and continue the rise until the dough extends 1/2 inch above the rim of the pan.

After the 2nd rise, 15 minutes prior to baking, put a rack on the very lowest rack of your oven and place a broiler pan, or other shallow baking pan on it. Place your other rack one notch above that and preheat to 450 degrees.To bake, reduce heat to 425. Add one cup of water to the pan on the bottom rack; don't refill if it boils dry. Bake bread on the other rack for 35-45 minutes or until the loaf is nicely browned. Cover the top with foil and continue baking for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just slightly moist particles clinging to the bottom portion.