Serves 8
1440 min
Seeded Whole Grain Breakfast Bread
Recipe GLPRb8637ffba3a7a1
A hearty and nutritious whole grain bread loaded with a medley of seeds including pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flax. Made with a flavorful overnight preferment and baked in a hot Dutch oven to create a beautifully crusted loaf perfect for breakfast or brunch. The combination of oats, whole wheat flour, and seeds provides excellent texture and wholesome flavor.
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Ingredients
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons ground flax
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mixed pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black and white sesame seeds, and flax seeds
1 egg, beaten
Directions
The night before baking, prepare the preferment: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 1/4 cups bread flour, 2 teaspoons yeast, and 1/2 cup warm water. Mix until a smooth paste forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight. By morning, the preferment will double in volume and have a bubbly, active surface.
On baking day, measure 1/4 cup warm water into a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon yeast and 3 tablespoons honey. Stir to combine and let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water with 1 cup old-fashioned oats and 3 tablespoons ground flax. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the oats and flax to absorb the water.
Add both the yeast mixture and the oat mixture to the bowl containing the preferment. Mix to incorporate all components.
Add 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, remaining bread flour, and 1 teaspoon salt to the mixture. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed, mix for 4 to 6 minutes until a cohesive dough forms. If the dough seems extremely sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour as needed. Stir in 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixed seeds until evenly distributed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly grease the mixer bowl and return the dough to it. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm location for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. Once doubled, preheat the oven to 450°F and place a 5-quart or larger cast iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid on the center oven rack to heat.
Punch down the doubled dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently a few times, then shape into a rough oval or round loaf. You may divide the dough in half to make two smaller loaves if desired.
Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Brush the surface with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the remaining mixed seeds. Using a sharp knife, gently score a small slit down the center of the loaf.
Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey over the seeded surface. When ready to bake, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven using oven mitts and remove the lid. Lifting the dough by the parchment paper, carefully transfer it into the hot pot. Cover with the lid and return to the oven.
Bake covered for 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, carefully remove the lid with oven mitts, and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes more until the bread develops a deep golden brown crust.
Remove the bread from the oven and use a thin spatula to carefully lift it out of the Dutch oven. Place on a wire rack to cool completely for about 2 hours before slicing. The bread continues to cook internally as it cools, so resist cutting into it immediately.
