1 ¼cup7 grain cereal mixI use the Bob’s Red Mill brand
2 ½cupsboiling water
3cupsbread flour
1cupdark rye flour
1cupwhole wheat flour
2 ½teaspoonsinstant yeast
¼cuphoney
4tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted and cooled
1tablespoonfine salt
To finish:
Milk for brushing on loaves
Old-fashioned rolled oats for sprinkling
Instructions
Place cereal mix in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Pour boiling water over the grains. Let the mixture sit for about an hour or until it has cooled down to 100 degrees F.
Whisk bread, rye and whole wheat flours and yeast together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Once the grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter and salt. Mix briefly with the dough hook attachment to combine.
WIth the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until it is just combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be clearing the sides of the bowl but will still be tacky to the touch.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for an hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the oven rack in the middle position. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and set aside. Lightly flour a clean countertop or work surface.
Scrape the dough out onto the work surface and divide into two halves. Working with one half at a time, pat the dough out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick and 8 inches wide. Roll the rectangle lengthwise into a loaf shape. Pinch the seam together and fold the ends under to meet the seam, pinching the spot where the ends and the bottom of the loaf meet. Place the loaf into one of the prepared loaf pans, seam side down, and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough. Let the loaves rise until they begin to extend over the edge of the loaf pan, about 45 minutes at room temperature.
Brush each loaf with milk and sprinkle with oats, pressing lightly to help them adhere. Bake the loaves until golden brown, about 45-50 minutes (when the bread is done, the internal temperature of each loaf will be 200 degrees). Cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying.
Notes
Store loaves at room temperature wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in a sealed freezer bag.