7-grain Bread

I purchased some nice-looking cook-type 7 grain cereal at The Dutchman’s in Cantril, Iowa, and looked through my files until I found this recipe to use it in.  I don’t even have the source of the recipe indicated, but I’m glad I found it.  This recipe doesn't call for any additives, like extra gluten, to get a nice loaf.  It was moist, grainy, but not heavy with a nice flavor.  We had to have some right away when I cut it,  with Amish roll butter and honey.  

I like making bread in the food processor, it’s quick and simple.  Notice that I let the dough rise the first time right in the processor bowl to cut down on cleanup. 

The processor chops up the grainy cereal so you don’t have to cook it first.  This particular cereal contained red hard wheat, spelt, white soft wheat, oats, rye, barley and triticale in a rolled form.  Notice that the smaller slices I get from the 4 x 10” pan contain 3 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber.

The oil in this recipe makes a lighter loaf than solid fats; and the bread flour produces more gluten, necessary when using whole grains to get a loaf your family will enjoy. 

You can make this bread as a free-form loaf or in loaf pans for sandwich breads, braided or not.  I like to use a 4” x 10” quick bread pan for this size loaf to make more square slices, and to get more slices per loaf.

This is a recipe my husband has requested again and again.

7-grain Bread 

     3/4    pound  Bread Flour

  3           ounces  7-grain Cereal -- (dry cooked type)

  2           tablespoons  Salad Oil

  1 ½       teaspoons  Salt

  3           tablespoons  Brown Sugar

  1           packet  Instant Yeast** (2 ¼ teaspoons)

  1           Cup + 1 Tablespoon  Milk -- Heated to 120-125°

In food processor bowl, add all dry ingredients and oil.  Heat milk to 120-125 (use an instant-read thermometer).  Pulse dry ingredients.  Turn on and slowly add liquid until dough starts to form a ball.  Process an additional minute (time) or until smooth.  Do not over process. 

Let rise 25 minutes until puffy.  May not double. 

Shape into loaf and place in greased 8 12/ x 4 1/2 "  or 4" x 10" loaf pan, cover with sprayed wax paper, and let rise 35-45 minutes or until the center of the loaf is about 1 inch over rim of pan. (Rising times vary, depending on the warmth in the room, longer rises don’t hurt, as long as you get the right height on your loaf).

Bake bread in preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes or until instant read thermometer reads 200 °.  If bread appears to browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.  For a soft crust, brush with room-temperature butter after baking.

If you wish to braid the loaf, divide into three 9 ounce ropes. 

Yield:   "1 Loaf" 

Per Serving (22 per loaf): 91 Calories; 2g Fat (20.0% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 152mg Sodium.   

** If you use active dry yeast, rising times will be longer.

Cost was 84¢ per loaf when 7 grain cereal was $1.15 per pound.