posts may contain Amazon affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you buy (but doesn't cost you anything extra). Occasionally I receive free products and/or run sponsored posts—this will always be stated clearly in the post. Thank you for supporting this blog.

This website contains some quotations, excerpts, and screen clips from copyrighted material. These uses fall well within the copyright doctrine of "Fair Use".
Saturday, October 29, 2011

Seeded Mixed Brown Bread

Not that I've ever grown any form of wheat or grain, but when Autumn really begins to lay its hands on us... I'm talking cool, crisp air...colorful leaves in the trees and crunching under foot...pumpkins and gourds adorning porches...tombstones and giant spiders, ghosts and scarecrows around every corner...goblins and ghouls walking the streets... it's then that I can imagine walking through the fields with a scythe.  Huge baskets and bundles filled past the brim with stalks of wispy grains.  Securing bundles with twine.  Arm muscles bulging from constant mashing and grinding by hand.  Loaves of hearty, rustic bread scenting the air and nourishing hard working bodies.  When I think Autumn, I think harvest.  Oh Autumn.  How do I love thee?

Although I didn't grow, harvest, or grind any of the grains for this bread, I did knead them into this beautifully elastic, fragrant dough.  A dough that scented the kitchen with the smell of Autumn before it was even placed in a hot oven.  And once it was baked, it was nutty and earthy and just the thing I wanted on this brisk Autumn day.  I can imagine forming the dough into individual rolls next time, to show case the beautiful crust that forms during baking.  As a matter of fact, I may add them to the Thanksgiving menu this year.  I think they would fit perfectly with the beautiful bounty of the season.
Seeded Mixed Brown Bread
slightly adapted from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros
yield: 2 loaves

1½ c. warm water
2¼ tsp. (1 - ¼ oz. packet) active dry yeast
2 tsp. honey
1½ Tbs. olive oil
1 c. spelt flour
¾ c. buckwheat flour
¾ c. rye flour
⅔ c. whole wheat flour
¾ c. bread flour
1 Tbs. whole flaxseed
1 tsp. fine sea salt
¼ c. sesame seeds, toasted
½ c. sunflower seeds, toasted
Combine water, honey, and oil in a bowl; stir until honey is dissolved.  Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let sit for about 10 minutes or so, until it begins to froth up a bit.

Mix everything else together in a large bowl.  Add yeast mixture to the dry mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine.  Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until dough is very elastic.  Dough should be slightly tacky.  Only add more bread flour, a bit at a time,  if the dough is really sticking to your hands.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic or a clean kitchen towel.  Let sit in a warm place for ~1½ hours, or until the dough has puffed up well.  Punch down the dough, then divide it in half.  Form each half into two longish loaves and set on a baking sheet that is lightly dusted with flour or lined with a silpat or parchment, leaving space between the loaves.  Make a few slashes on the tops of the loaves and cover again.  Let sit in same warm spot for another 45 minutes or so, until dough has puffed up again.  Preheat oven to 400° F during last 15 minutes of rise time.

Remove plastic or cloth and slide into oven, spritzing with a mist of water quickly before closing the oven door (optional).  Bake for ~25 minutes, until bread is golden and crusty all over and sounds hollow when you tap it.  Let cool a bit before serving warm or at room temperature.
Our theme at IHCC this week is Harvest Moon.
IHCC Tessa Kiros Button
I am also sharing this post with:
Yeastspotting
BYOB-badge weekend cooking

Would you like to comment?

  1. I wish I had a slice of this bread...warm from the oven...right now. I'm passing this recipe on to the baker in the family as I'm still "yeast phobic". This looks incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful ode to autumn and loaves of lovely hearty bread!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks gorgeous. I love adding seeds to homemade bread. It would be lovely with a big hearty bowl of soup.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Even though I grew up eating homemade bread, I am not much of a bread baker but this do look good and I love bread.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear for me this bread look absolutely perfect, I want a slice only with a bit of butter!! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  6. I could make a meal of that bread!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would love a big fat slice with lots of butter - delicious!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely gorgeous, amazing-looking bread! Reminds me of one sold here in one of my favorite bakeries. I can't wait to make it!

    Jenn

    ReplyDelete
  9. Two things I really like about this post: one is your descriptive language. It's beautiful and paints a great picture. Second is all the various flours in this bread. I believe you when you say it was nutty and earthy. Perfect for Fall.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am so impressed by that crust!
    I love the fact that there are alot of flours that go into this bread. I've taken down the recipe, thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your bread looks so good-I have the book-I would not have thought it had bread recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  12. even with my yeast fear I would love to make that.
    of course I would have to make an order with King Arthur Flour first to get all the ingredients.

    ReplyDelete
  13. When I think harvest, I definitely think wheat or grain and so totally think this fits with this week's theme! That is one beautifully hued bread!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gorgeous bread! You are so right that it's perfect for Autumn- but I think it would be wonderful any time of year. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love baking bread...so exciting to see all those kinds of flours, etc. in this recipe. It looks great, inside and out!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love baking bread. But haven't done it in a long time! I should do that again though :)

    My weekend cooking:
    http://shelikesbento.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-cooking-just-tacos-by-shelley.html

    ReplyDelete
  17. Too funny. I made a multigrain bread yesterday too. And I know what you mean about autumn and harvest and hearty, wholesome bread. I almost always mist my oven -- I like the crunchy good crust it makes.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mmm, the bread looks so chewy and lovely and satisfying. Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love multigrain breads and this one looks particularly good. What a wonderful treat. Thank you for taking the time to share it with me. I'm sipping on tea and about to start on breakfast...I wish I had something like this to start my day with (but in one way, I do!) I hope you have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  20. That is one beautiful bread--it screams out harvest and all things fall. Wonderful pick! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great opening paragraph describing the season. Really nice, Heather. Also, a perfect choice for the harvest theme.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great job! Your bread looks delish! Wonderful choice for this weeks theme! Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your breads always draw me in. Here it is - dense, browned - multi-faceted and hearty enough for the autumn chill.

    ReplyDelete
  24. This bread looks beautiful. I want a piece with butter and jam right now!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh, my goodness! This is exquisite!I love it! Ummm

    ReplyDelete
  26. Still not sure if I like seed in my bread or not, but willing to try this recipe cause it looks go darn good. I've been on this gung-ho 'I'M gonna bake bread' thing since I have so many friends who make their own breads, and making them seems so much more fun than buying them. Obviously a lot more labor intensive though.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Alexis makes a great bread that is so full of seeds and nuts that the kids call it "bird seed bread", lol.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Éste pan, se vé delicioso!! calientito debe de ser lo máximo!!
    Saludos

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love how you opened up your post and better yet, I love how you tied in the Harvest Moon with wheat and bread. I was kinda thinking along the same lines too. The bread looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I would like to have some of this bread with honey. yum!

    ReplyDelete
  31. brown bread with mandarin jam, hmmmmm

    ReplyDelete
  32. I wish I could make this!!! I just started a gluten free diet...so now I just dream of real bread.  :(

    ReplyDelete