No-Knead Multigrain Whole Wheat Bread

Behold!  This is one scrumptious loaf of goodness.

Here's what a slice of this
yummy bread looks like.

Recipe from Artisan Bread with Steve 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 Loaf

I’m thinking this is my favorite no-knead bread.  Because it’s no-knead, it’s a cinch to make.  Though this bread is VERY easy to make, you must plan to begin the day before serving.

16 oz. cool water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon yeast (Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast)
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (I use a mix of sesame seeds and black sesame seeds.)
1 Tablespoon flax meal (or flax seeds)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup old fashioned oats (I’ve also made this using quick-cooking oats.)
¼ cup old fashioned oats for the second rise
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (optional for second rise)

Place the water, salt, yeast, sesame seeds, flax meal into a large bowl and give it a quick stir.  Add the 2 cups bread flour, the 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour and then the ½ cup oats on top of the flour.  Stir until the dough forms a shaggy ball scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.  Stir until the flour is absorbed and scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.
Cover with plastic wrap (I like to use a shower cap for this.) and allow to sit on the counter for 8-24 hours. (I think it’s best to allow the dough to sit for the full 24 hours.)
Remove the plastic wrap.  Spray an 8 ½” X 4 ½” loaf pan*** with cooking spray.  
Stir the dough to deflate.  Scrape the sides of the bowl clean.  Sprinkle the dough the ¼ cup old fashioned oats and the sesame seeds, if using. Stir so that the dough ball is covered with the extra oats and sesame seeds. Roll the dough into the loaf pan.  
Cover with another loaf pan turned upside down onto the loaf pan with the dough.  Use binder clips to clip the loaf pans together creating a “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  
Allow the dough to rise again for 30-60 minutes.  (If your home is cool, like it might be in the winter, it may take a full 60 minutes for it to rise.  If your home is warm, like it might be in summer, the dough may only take 30 minutes or so.)
As the dough is rising, move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  
Bake for 40 minutes with the top on and 3-15 minutes with the top off to finish (browning) the crust.  
The bread is done when the internal temperature is 190F.  Remove the bread from the pan onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before slicing.  (If you slice it too soon, the bread will be gummy and doughy inside.)

***Because I was baking more than one loaf of bread, I placed the dough into an 8” diameter springform pan.  Then, I covered it with an upside down 8” cake pan for the “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  I didn’t use any clips.  I just rested the upside down cake pan on top. The loaf turned out beautifully and it was round!

No-Knead Honey (or Maple) Oatmeal Bread

Recipe from Artisan Bread with Steve 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 Loaf

This bread is just fantastic.  It not only tastes great, but it has a nice chew, perfect for a sandwich or to serve along side a hot bowl of soup or stew.  It is the easiest bread in the world to make, so it's ideal for beginner bakers.  

16 oz. cool water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon yeast (Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast)

1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup (Using maple syrup will make this loaf vegan.)

3 ½ cups bread flour

1 cup Old fashioned oats 

¼ cup old fashioned oats for the second rise

3 Tablespoons bread flour for the second rise

Place all ingredients in a large bowl except the additional ¼ cup oats.  Stir until the flour is absorbed and scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.

Cover with plastic wrap (I like to use a shower cap for this.) and allow to sit on the counter for 8-24 hours. (I think it’s best for flavor to allow the dough to sit for the 24 hours.)

Remove the plastic wrap.  Spray an 8 ½” X 4 ½”loaf pan*** with cooking spray.  

Stir the dough to deflate.  Scrape the sides of the bowl clean.  Sprinkle the dough the ¼ cup old fashioned oats. Stir so that the dough ball is covered with the extra oats. Sprinkle the dough with the 3 Tablespoons of bread flour and stir until the sides of the bowl are clean.  Dump the dough into the loaf pan.  

Cover with another loaf pan turned upside down onto the loaf pan with the dough.  Use binder clips to clip the loaf pans together creating a “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  

Allow the dough to rise again for 30-60 minutes.  As the dough is rising, move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes with the top on and 3-15 minutes with the top off to finish (browning) the crust.  

The bread is done when the internal temperature is 190F.  Remove the bread from the pan onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before slicing.  (If you slice it too soon, the bread will be doughy inside.)

***Because I was baking more than one loaf of bread, I placed the dough into an 8” diameter springform pan.  Then, I covered it with an upside down 8” cake pan for the “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  I didn’t use any clips.  I just rested the upside down cake pan on top. The loaf turned out beautifully and it was round!

Honey Oatmeal Walnut Bread with Poppy Seeds

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Here we have toasted Honey Oatmeal Walnut Bread with Poppy Seeds spread with
Artichoke-Basil Spread and topped with a Easy-Peel Hard-Cooked Egg and served along
 with a Clementine orange for a healthful and filling breakfast.

Recipe from http://www.parsleysagesweet.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 (9” X 5”) loaf or 9 dinner rolls*

This is a beautiful loaf with a tight crumb, perfect for sandwiches or serving with soups and salads.  It’s very slightly sweet and absolutely scrumptious.

2 cups bread flour, divided (plus a bit more for kneading)

1 package (1/4 oz.) yeast

1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt

1 cup water

4 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup quick rolled oats

1 cup whole-wheat flour

¾ cup walnuts, toasted* and chopped

(Egg, Water, Oats, and Poppy Seeds for topping)

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 1¼ cups of the bread flour, the yeast, and salt until well combined.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, honey, vegetable oil, and oats.  Heat just until warm (120°F to 130°F.) Pour the liquid over the flour, yeast and salt mixture.  Stir until moistened, then beat with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes at medium speed.

Gradually stir in the whole-wheat flour, nuts, and enough remaining bread flour.  (Do this either by hand or with the dough hook.)

Knead the dough on a floured board for 5 to 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, using additional bread flour as needed. (You can also do this using the dough hook.)

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease the top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board.  Punch down to remove any air bubbles.  Roll or pat the dough into a rectangle, approximately 14” X 7”.  Starting with the shorter side, roll up tightly, pressing the dough into the roll with each turn.  Pinch the edges and ends to seal.  Place in a greased 9” X 5” loaf pan.  (*To make 9 dinner rolls, divide the dough into 9 balls after the first rise.  Place them in a greased 8” square pan.)

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.  Midway through the rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Once the loaf is risen, combine the egg and 1 Tablespoon water.  Brush this over the top of the loaf.  Sprinkle with oats and poppy seeds.  Bake at 375°F for 30 to 40 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. 

According to my calculations, 1 of 12 slices of this bread equals about 212 calories with 2.2 grams of fiber.  1 of 9 dinner rolls would equal 283 calories with 2.9 grams fiber.

No-Knead Harvest Bread

Makes 1 large loaf

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Beginner bakers will love making this bread because it’s so easy and yet looks and tastes like it was made by a pro.  No need to spread it with butter or other toppings because it's delicious as is!  Begin the day before you plan to bake the bread so that the dough has time to develop flavor and texture. I would suggest mixing the dough on a Friday night after work and then on Saturday morning while you breakfast and get ready for the day, it can rise and then bake.  It’ll be ready in time for a Saturday night dinner party or for a delicious breakfast on Sunday.  

3¼ cups bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

½ teaspoon instant yeast

1 ¾ cup cool water

¾ cup dried cranberries

½ cup golden raisins

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts**

Mix the flours, yeast, and water in a large bowl.  Stir, then use your hands to mix and form a sticky dough.

Work the dough just enough to incorporate all the flour, then work in the fruit and nuts.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours;  it’ll become bubbly and rise quite a bit, so use a large bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form it into a log or round loaf to fit in one of the following:

a 14” x 15” long lidded stoneware baker; a 9” X 12” oval deep casserole dish with cover; or 9” to 10” round lidded baking crock (I used a Le Crueset lidded stoneware Dutch oven.)

Place the dough in the lightly greased pan, smooth side up.

Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until it’s become puffy.  It should rise noticeably, but it’s not a real high-riser.

Using a sharp knife, slash the bread in a crosshatch pattern.  Place the lid on the pan and put the bread in a cold oven.  Set the oven temperature to 450F.

Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake for another 5 to 15 minutes until it’s deep brown in color and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers about 205F. 

Remove the bread from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes: 

Walnuts sometimes give this bread a faint purple tinge.  If this bothers you, use pecans instead.

I like to add boiling water to dried fruit to plump them up.  I leave the fruit in the boiling water for about 5 minutes or so and then drain before adding the fruit to the recipe.

Nutritional Information:  (1 of 16 slices) 196 calories; 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat); 0 grams cholesterol; 293 mg sodium; 33 grams carbs; 3 grams fiber; 7 grams sugars; 5 grams protein