Seeded Honey and Oat Loaf
Now and then, I find a new favorite bread. Sometimes it comes out of nowhere as this seeded whole wheat loaf did. For years I didn’t bake whole wheat bread because I thought it was dense and lacked flavor. That was because I didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t have a good recipe.
If you shy away from whole wheat bread because of reasons like mine, give this one a try. It’s easy to bake, and you can use ingredients you already have in your pantry to make it your own. Here’s a version I love.
Ingredients
• 2 cups (10oz/280g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (3¾oz/105g) whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup (1oz/28g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon (8g) salt
• 1 ¾ teaspoon (7g) Instant dried yeast
• 1 cup (8floz/240ml) whole milk
• 3 tablespoons (1½oz/43g) butter.
• 2 tablespoons honey
• egg wash to glaze
• extra oats, seeds, some flaky sea salt, and a couple of pinches of Rosemary for topping. Not a lot. You want a hint of rosemary.
In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, ground flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and salt.
In a separate bowl, stir together the milk, butter, and honey, and heat until the butter has melted and the milk is warmed slightly.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry (Unless you are using a stand mixer, then it’s the other way around) and mix until a dough forms.
Cover and let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then knead with your hands for 8-10 minutes or in your stand mixer for 5 to 7 minutes. Test the dough by performing the window pane test.
Grease a bowl, place the dough inside, and allow it to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.
Shape the dough into a 9-inch log and place it in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover the loaf and let it rise again for 70-90 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 380°F (193°C), brush the top of the dough with egg wash, and sprinkle with oats, sesame seeds, sea salt, rosemary, and poppy seeds. Have a piece of aluminum foil handy in case it starts to brown too quickly. Egg wash remember.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195°F. If your loaf is browning too quickly, place a sheet of aluminum foil over it. Shiny side up for the last 10 minutes of baking.
The loaf will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
I enjoy this bread lightly toasted with a drizzle of honey.
Note: if any of the terms I’ve used are unfamiliar to you, check out our glossary at
“Baking Great Bread at Home.”
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Henry