This bread is very light, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and is fabulous when toasted. I cook mostly by the "scoop of this, pinch of that" method so these measurements are very close but not brutally precise.
3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill 7-grain hot cereal
1/2 cup oats
3 cups water
Combine and cook until thick smooth and creamy and then set aside to cool. (the microwave works great for this)
1 1/2 cups bread flour
3 tsp (or 2 packets) yeast (I like Red Star better than Fleishmann's)
1 1/2 cups dry milk
1 rounded tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups water heated to 120 degrees (use a thermometer or the temp probe in the microwave...too hot will kill the yeast)
Wisk together in the mixer bowl to make a smooth batter
Using the dough hook gradually incorporate:
the cooked cereal
1 cup crushed walnuts
3 1/2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour
You can complete the kneeding process in the mixer but I can tell better by "feel" when the dough is ready so, after the dough is firmly gathered on the dough hook but still quite sticky, I take it out and work the rest by hand.
Kneed the dough, working in the last bit of flour (using a little more or less as necessary) until it is elastic and springy but still just a little sticky.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn it over once so the dough's top surface is lightly coated, cover with a tea towel and let rise for one hour. (I like to use a more wide than deep bowl so the dough isn't working against its own weight as it rises)
Punch down the dough, divide and shape into two loaves and place in greased 9x5 pans (or shape into dinner rolls=about 2 dozen, or shape into peasant loaves on parchment paper which can then be slid onto a hot baking stone)
Cover and let rise for about 40 minutes.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes (two loaf pans) or 25-30 minutes (two 9x13 pans of dinner rolls)
3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill 7-grain hot cereal
1/2 cup oats
3 cups water
Combine and cook until thick smooth and creamy and then set aside to cool. (the microwave works great for this)
1 1/2 cups bread flour
3 tsp (or 2 packets) yeast (I like Red Star better than Fleishmann's)
1 1/2 cups dry milk
1 rounded tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups water heated to 120 degrees (use a thermometer or the temp probe in the microwave...too hot will kill the yeast)
Wisk together in the mixer bowl to make a smooth batter
Using the dough hook gradually incorporate:
the cooked cereal
1 cup crushed walnuts
3 1/2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour
You can complete the kneeding process in the mixer but I can tell better by "feel" when the dough is ready so, after the dough is firmly gathered on the dough hook but still quite sticky, I take it out and work the rest by hand.
Kneed the dough, working in the last bit of flour (using a little more or less as necessary) until it is elastic and springy but still just a little sticky.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn it over once so the dough's top surface is lightly coated, cover with a tea towel and let rise for one hour. (I like to use a more wide than deep bowl so the dough isn't working against its own weight as it rises)
Punch down the dough, divide and shape into two loaves and place in greased 9x5 pans (or shape into dinner rolls=about 2 dozen, or shape into peasant loaves on parchment paper which can then be slid onto a hot baking stone)
Cover and let rise for about 40 minutes.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes (two loaf pans) or 25-30 minutes (two 9x13 pans of dinner rolls)
