Multigrain Bread recipe with variations

There is just NOTHING better in this world than hot, fresh out of the oven, homemade bread.  Oh, oh, oh---  I make a LOT of bread.  Between trying to keep up with eight mouths to feed, and making a whole lot more than that for the Farmers' Market, I make a ton of bread.  My family's favorite (or should I say one of them, they aren't picky) is Milk and Honey Multigrain bread.  I've made this SO MANY times, that I do not even have to look at the recipe anymore.  I have had quite a few people ask me for the recipe, so here it is!


3/4 cup of warmish water (105- 110 degrees)
1 TBS active dry yeast
1 TBS bread flour

Mix this together, and set aside.  Give it about ten minutes.  You will know the yeast works when it starts to "bubble" a bit.  And don't use the old yeast you found in Grandma's cupboard that's been there for 10 years...  it's not going to work.

3 TBS honey
1 TBS salt
1 1/2 cups of milk- let it sit out for a few hours to be room temperature
2 TBS unsalted butter- again, room temperature

Mix all this in with your yeast mixture on a low setting until everything evenly mixed.  Butter does not have to be un-chunky.

Then, add 2 cups of multigrain flour.  Recipe to follow-

Mix on low until smooth.

Add 2 cups of bread flour, and again mix until even.

Then this part is almost as important as having good yeast.  Add about 1/2 cup of bread flour at a time until the bread is just starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl and you can get your hands in it to lift it out in one solid piece (NOT WITH THE MIXER ON!).

The key to making fantastic bread is to not add too much flour when you are using whole grains.  Whole grains tend to make a dryer bread, but this can be remedied by adding just enough flour and keeping the dough sticky from mixing bowl to bread pan.

Take some flour to a clean table and pour out the bread dough.  Cut into two pieces, spray bread pans with butter spray or wipe the pan with butter.  Put into the oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until the tops are springy to the touch and golden brown.  Pull out of oven and dump onto a clean towel to cool.  Or don't let it cool and eat it fresh!  YUMMY!


Complete recipe for people that just want it straight without all the obligatory words that come with a blog-

3/4 cup of warmish water (105- 110 degrees)
1 TBS active dry yeast
1 TBS bread flour

3 TBS honey
1 TBS salt
1 1/2 cups of milk- let it sit out for a few hours to be room temperature
2 TBS unsalted butter- again, room temperature

2 cups of multigrain flour
3 1/2 to 4 cups of bread flour

375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes

Multigrain flour mixture-
To make things like this, I get a large bucket and add my ingredients, mix evenly, then pour into a small container to use. What you use and how much you use it, really depends on your preference, and I will be honest...  I measure very little of anything.  Just know that wheat would be your base.  Or you can just buy it and cut out that step. 

Wheat flour
Rye
Barley flour
Corn meal
Millet
Buckwheat

Other options-
Rice flour
Brown Rice flour
Graham flour
Oat flour

Really, the sky is the limit.  If you can grind it, you can add it.

Favorite variations of ours-

1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour in place of the multigrain flour

1/2 cup rye flour, 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour in place of the multigrain flour

Other small notes for fantastic bread-

Keep a small pan of water at the bottom of the over during baking.  Add a couple of ice cubes if needed throughout baking.  Or use a baking stone at the bottom of the oven.  This helps the heat stay even through out.