ByDavid
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A good sandwich starts with good bread, andthis Multigrain Sandwich Bread is not only good…it’s great!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf ofBob’s Red Mill. The opinions and recipe are all my own.
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What are you really passionate about? What’s that one thing that you really, really look forward to doing…no matter when it is? For me, it’s bread baking. (I could also make a strong argument for college sports, but let’s stick withbread for today.) I find making bread dough to be incredibly relaxing. You take a couple of basic ingredients, mix ’em up, let ’em rest for a while and then throw them in the oven. Next thing you know, your house smells incredible and you’re snacking on freshly baked bread. It’s like some sort of crazy magic trick! This Multigrain Sandwich Bread is one of my favorite breads to make, and I’m excited to share it with you today.
For this bread, I actually used half bread flour and half Whole Wheat Flour from Bob’s Red Mill. I find that the whole wheat flour brings a greatflavor to the bread, not to mention the added vitamins + protein, too. For my sandwich breads, I prefer a 50-50 mix of bread flour and whole wheat flour. The result is a loaf with wonderful flavor and texture, and it’s not dense at all.
This bread is perfect for slicing and making a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. It’s also perfect for toasting and then topping with butter and jam. But never together. Give me peanut butter or give me jelly. But not both! (Yup, I was that weird kid who only ate peanut butter sandwiches. Jelly need not apply.)
Multigrain Sandwich Bread
I know some of you might be thinking, “I’ve never made bread before. That bread looks tasty, but there’s no way I can make that.” Wrong. This bread is actually pretty darned easy to make. I’ll admit that the recipe might look a bit daunting, but it’s not as hard as it seems. Oh, and don’t be scared off by the various grains and seeds. No sunflower seeds in your pantry? Add in more flaxseeds and sesame seeds. Or go out and grab some. That’s the fun thing about making bread. You can experiment and play around a bit to find the taste you like the most.
So what exactly is a soaker? Well, you take the grains that go into the bread and soak ’em overnight in a portion of the water from the recipe. The grains soak up the water which, in turn, makes them taste much better once baked into the bread. It’s an easy step that will make a huge difference in grain breads. If you don’t soak the grains, then those grains will soak up water once they’re in the dough…resulting in a much drier (and much less tastier) loaf of bread.
But then what is a biga? A biga is simply a portion of the recipe’s flour and water mixed with a pinch of yeast. You then cover it up and let it rest overnight. Breads draw significant flavor from long fermentation…which is where the biga comes in. It’s true. Professional bakeries often save a portion of the day’s dough and then mix it in with the dough the next day.
Since you aren’t likely making bread every day in your home, just mix up a quick biga instead. Plus, you get to sound fancy in front of your friends when you say you used a biga (bee-gah) to make your bread. (I also use a biga when making my Homemade Pizza Dough. Recently I forgot to make the biga, so I just mixed the dough as normal. The pizza didn’t taste nearly as good. #PizzaFail)
Baker’s Tip: I let the soaker and biga rest (covered) at room temperature, but the dough itself likes to be a little bit warmer. You gotta make that yeast happy so that it’ll wake up and start partying like a rock star! So unless you keep your house at 85°F, you’ll probably need to find a warmer spot. My little trick is to turn the oven on. As soon as I see the temperature start to climb, I turn the oven off. (My oven doesn’t register the temperature until it hits 100°F. As soon as it hits 100°, I turn the oven off.) Then I cover the dough and put it in the oven. (Just make sure to pull it out before you start to pre-heat your oven for baking!!)
Have I convinced you to give this Multigrain Sandwich Bread a shot yet? Whether you’ve been making bread for years or wanting to give it a shot, I think you’ll be pleased with it. The loaves have a great texture, and they’re packed with flavor.
I should also mention that this bread freezes quite well. The recipe makes 2 loaves, and I just wrap one in plastic wrap (once it has cooled) and put it in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Then it goes into the freezer until the first loaf is gone…which usually doesn’t take long around here. In fact, I used this bread when I made these Fried Green Tomato BLTs a couple of weeks ago, and it was delicious!
Did you make a loaf or two of this Multigrain Sandwich Bread? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). I’d love to see your version!
Multi-Grain Sandwich Bread
A good sandwich starts with good bread, and this Multi-Grain Sandwich Bread is not only good...it's great!
4 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 12 hours hours
Servings: 24 slices
Calories: 165kcal
Ingredients
For the Soaker
- ¼ cup flaxseeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ½ cup oats
- 1 cup water
For the Biga
- 2½ cups bread flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch active dry yeast
For the Dough
- Soaker see above
- 3½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1½ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 T malt syrup or honey
- Biga see above
Instructions
For the Soaker
Using a medium bowl, add all of the Soaker ingredients (flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, oats and water). Stir until fully combined. Cover bowl and let rest at room temperature for 12-16 hours.
For the Biga
Using a medium bowl, add all of the Biga ingredients (bread flour, water, salt and yeast), and stir until a loose dough forms. Cover bowl and let rest at room temperature for 12-16 hours. (Note: Since the biga and soaker both rest for the same amount of time, so just make them the evening before and let them rest overnight.)
For the Dough
Transfer the Soaker into the bowl of a countertop mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add all of the additional dough ingredients except for the Biga (whole wheat flour, bread flour, water, salt, yeast and malt syrup or honey) to the bowl. Stir on low speed for 3-4 minutes, or until dough begins to come together.
Add the Biga and increase speed to medium. Mix for 3-4 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and springy.
Transfer dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and place in a warm (85°F) location for 1 hour.
Turn dough out onto a floured countertop and fold several times. Place dough back into bowl, cover and let rest in a warm location for 1 more hour.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces of equal weight and shape each piece into a loose ball.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape the dough into a 9"x9" square. Fold the dough into thirds (like a letter) and pinch the seam closed. Place the dough seam-side down into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining piece of Dough.
Spray the tops of the loaves (in the bread pan) with baking spray or olive oil and cover lightly. Place in a warm location and let rest for 1 hour, or until loaves have risen about 1” over the top of loaf pan.
Using a sharp knife, make 3 angled cuts (~1/2" to 3/4" deep) in the top of each loaf.
Preheat oven to 425°F and bake for 40-45 minutes. (Tip: Check the bread after 30 minutes. If the loaves are getting dark on top, just cover with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.)
Let loaves cool for 20 minutes in the pans and then turn loaves out onto cooling rack until fully cooled. (Note: If you aren’t planning on eating the bread within a couple of days, wrap it tightly and freeze it instead. This bread freezes quite well!)
Looking for more tasty homemade bread recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Honey Oat Wheat Bread
Marbled Rye Bread
Homemade Italian Bread
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