Hearty whole-grain bread for toast

 

 

This is a grainy, seeded loaf with good flavor that makes great toast, although it can also be used for sandwiches.  This recipe makes a large, substantial loaf.

2 handfuls steel-cut oats
Very warm water
1 scant tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3½ - 4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup high gluten flour
Handful flax seeds
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons dark molasses or malt barley syrup
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 - 1 cup liquid whey (preferred) or water, warmed
Handful of raw sunflower seeds
Corn meal or semolina

Place oats in a cereal bowl and add about ½ cup of the warm water. (They should be wet, but not drowned.)  Cover and allow to soak. In a small bowl, proof the yeast with the sugar in about ½ cup of very warm water (the warmest you can comfortably hold your finger in). Once yeast has proved, in a mixing bowl add 2 cups whole wheat flour, gluten flour, flax seeds, and salt and whisk to aerate. Then add the molasses, olive oil, yeast mixture, oats, and whey (or water) and stir to combine. It will be a thick slurry.  Cover with a towel and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes. Add about another 1½ cups of flour along with the sunflower seeds and begin kneading, adding more flour (or warm water) as necessary to produce a shaggy, sticky dough. Knead for 20-30 minutes until there’s good gluten development and dough is only slightly tacky. It should be loose, but you should be able to form it into a ball with a tight skin. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size and an indentation remains when pressed.  This can take up to 6 hours or more, or it can be done overnight in the refrigerator.

Punch down and knead a few times to redistribute the air. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a loaf tin well and heavily coat the bottom and up the sides with corn meal or semolina. Form the dough into a loaf and place seam side down into the loaf tin.  Cover and allow to rise in a warm place.  After about 30-40 minutes (about when the dough has reached the top of the tin), preheat oven to 350 degrees. When loaf has nearly doubled, place in oven and bake for about 55 minutes, until it’s well browned on top. It may even look slightly burnt. Remove from tin and allow to cool completely before slicing.