10-Grain Bread

1 1/4 cups 10-grain hot cereal
2 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon table salt
1/2 cup rolled or quick oats
Cooking oil spray

Place the cereal in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add boiling water, stir and let stand until the mixture cools to about 100 F and resembles a thick porridge, about 1 hour. Whisk together the flours in a medium bowl and set aside.

Once the grain mixture has cooled, add the honey,oil and yeast and stir to combine. Attach the bowl to the standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until the dough forms a ball, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough stand 20 minutes. Add the salt and knead on medium-low speed until the dough clears the sides of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue to knead another 5 minutes.

Add the oats and knead another 1 to 2 minutes, or until well incorporated.

Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Remove the dough from the mixer and form into a ball. Place the ball in the oiled bowl, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Adjust an oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray two 9×5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat into a 12×9-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half crosswise. Roll each piece into a tight log. Transfer each to a loaf pan, cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the loaves from the pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Start to finish 3 1/2 hours, 30 minutes active
Makes two 9×5-inch loaves.

Additional notes: This recipe adapted from one in the March/April 2006 issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. You can use a combination of white whole wheat (up to 1 1/2 cup) in combination with the all-purpose flour. Also, the 10 grain cereal is found usually in the natural foods section of the grocery store. The best brands are Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills. This bread freezes really well. We ate a loaf and I sliced and froze a loaf. We defrosted several slices yesterday and they were perfectly moist and the texture was still excellent. Happy Baking!!