Multigrain Molasses Bread

By tcasteel2000

The flavor of this hearty, home-style multigrain bread is reminiscent of nice, "bran-y" bran muffins. It's great for toasting, making sandwiches or eating as is. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup(s) whole-wheat flour, plus more as needed
• 1.33 cup(s) unbleached bread flour (see Note)
• 1 cup(s) bran flakes cereal, crushed into fine bits (see Tip)
• 0.33 cup(s) (plus 1 tablespoon) old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 0.25 cup(s) (plus 1 tablespoon) yellow or white cornmeal, divided
• 1.5 teaspoon(s) table salt
• 1.5 teaspoon(s) instant, quick-rising or bread-machine yeast
• 1.5 cup(s) ice water (see Tip), plus more as needed
• 0.33 cup(s) mild molasses (not blackstrap)
• 3 tablespoon(s) corn oil, canola oil or other flavorless vegetable oil

Preparation

Step 1

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whole-wheat flour

Directions

Mix dough:

Thoroughly stir 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, bread flour, bran cereal, 1/3 cup oats, 1/4 cup cornmeal, salt and yeast in a 4-quart (or larger) bowl. Thoroughly whisk ice water, molasses and oil in a medium bowl. Vigorously stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and mixing just until the dough is thoroughly blended. The dough should be moist and a bit sticky, but fairly stiff. If the mixture is too dry, stir in just enough additional ice water to facilitate mixing, but don't overmoisten. If the dough is too wet, stir in just enough whole-wheat flour to stiffen slightly. Lightly coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Let the dough rise at room temperature (about 70 degrees) for 12 to 18 hours; if convenient, stir once partway through the rise. For convenience (and improved flavor), you may refrigerate the dough for 3 to 12 hours before starting the first rise.

Generously coat a 9-by-5-inch (or similar large) loaf pan with oil. Vigorously stir the dough to deflate it. If it is soft, stir in just enough whole-wheat flour to yield a firm but moist dough (it should be fairly hard to stir). Transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly coat the top with oil. Smooth and press the dough evenly into the pan using a well-oiled rubber spatula or your fingertips. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each oats and cornmeal and pat down. Using well-oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife, cut three or four 1/2-inch-deep, evenly spaced slashes diagonally in the top of the loaf. Cover the pan with plastic wrap.

Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees.

Milled from high-protein wheats, bread flour develops strong gluten, resulting in well-risen loaves. It helps give breads with a high percentage of whole grains better structure and a lighter texture. Find it near other flours in most supermarkets.

The easiest way to crush bran flakes is to put them in a small sealable plastic bag, close it tightly, then press down with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand. To prepare "ice water" for this recipe, add a heaping cup of ice cubes to cold water and stir for about 30 seconds before measuring out the water. You can turn your microwave into a warm, moist environment to help accelerate the second rise of the bread dough. Begin by microwaving 1/2 cup water in a 1-cup glass measure just to boiling. Set the water in one corner of the microwave, place the pan of dough on the other side of the turned-off microwave and close the door. The dough will double in size in 45 minutes to 11/2 hours.

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