Knead and Rise

Finished rising, time to bake.

I have had numerous requests for this recipe and have finally decided to sit down, type it up and post. For those who have requested it, this is the loaf with apricots, cranberries, almonds and pumpkin seeds. Without these extra ingredients it is a perfect sandwich loaf or great for hamburger buns.

History: Around a year ago we discovered a lady at the farmers market who made whole grain (fresh ground flour) bread. We started picking this up every Saturday and enjoyed it. The loaves we bought at the store, even whole grain, never compared. I set out to develop a recipe comparable (and a bit cheaper than farmers market price). While I have yet to get a grain grinder, I have developed a fairly tasty loaf which we use for most our bread needs.

Multigrain Breadmachine Bread

3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons honey or 1 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 egg

3 cups whole grain flour (I tend to use 1/2 Whole Wheat and 1/2 Whole Wheat Pastry)
1/2 cup 10 grain cereal like Bob's Red Mill (I use this and include my own flax, millet and amaranth)
1/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds
3 Tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
Up to 3/4 cup extra ingredients (dried fruit, nuts) if desired

Using a bread machine, place liquids in the bottom and the dry on top. I always use a dough cycle since cooking it in the machine made it denser than I like. Check the dough after a couple minutes and add more flour if it is sticking to the sides of the bin. After the dough is done (approx. 120 minutes), pull out and knead a minute or two. Shape and place on or in a greased pan. Cover and place in a warm area until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. If using this for sandwiches let cool before slicing, otherwise it tends to crumble.