Multigrain Bread Recipe

This is another one of my favourite bread recipes from Salt Spring Island Cooking, page 220, by Rodney Polden & Pamela Thornley, published Macmillan Canada in 1993. Below is a direct transcription from the book, followed by my notes.

Makes 4 big loaves.

6 cups       (1.4L)        warm water
2 Tbsp      (30 mL)     yeast
2 Tbsp      (30 mL)     sugar
9 1/2 cups (2.3L)        whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup      (120 mL)  oil
1/2 cup      (120 mL)  buckwheat flour
2 cups        (480 mL)  barley flour
2 cups        (480 mL)  rye flour
2 Tbsp       (30 mL)    sea salt
1 cup         (240 mL)  rolled oat flakes
1 cup         (240 mL)  sunflower seeds
1 cup         (240 mL)  flax seeds
1 cup         (240 mL)  sesame seeds
                  additional whole-wheat flour as necessary

In your largest bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water, then add the sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes until the yeast bubbles up.
Add 6 cups (1.4L) of the whole-wheat flour to the liquid.  Beat quickly and strongly, until the mixture forms threads, (like spun fibres). This will take about 300 strokes - but it's not as long a job as you might think.
Let the sponge rise for at least 1 hour, then add the oil and beat it in.
Mix the salt with the remaining flours, oat flakes and seeds, then work them into the sponge thoroughly.
Knead for at least 10 minutes, working in up to 1 1/2 cups (360 mL) of additional whole-wheat flour as you go. Try not to add more than this.. Instead, if the dough is still wet and sticky, oil your hands and the kneading board and keep at it.
When the dough is smooth and elastic, place it back in the bowl, cover it with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm plce until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). In the meantime, go read a book, weed the garden, or pet the dog.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a loaf, place in well-greased, regular loaf pans and let rise again until the dough is an inch or more above the top of the pans. Go finish the last chapter of that Agatha Christie novel.
Bake the loaves at 350F (180C) for 35-40 minutes.

My additional notes:

1. I usually mix (about half & half, but I don't think it matters much) whole wheat with white flour. 
2. I have also started adding about half a cup of psyllium fibre to the flour when I add it to the yeast and sugar water mix.
3. Although the recipe as written leads off with "Makes 4 big loaves", I find the loaves to be relatively dense, & not that large, although very tasty. I plan to add more yeast, perhaps an additional 1/2 Tbsp or more to my next batch.

I find bread making to be a lot of fun, & it also provides for a bit of exercise in the kneading process! I usually start by strictly following a recipe. Once I feel confident with it, I start to experiment. Let me know if this recipe works for you and what improvements you are able to come up with. Happy baking!