This is Fun! Loving the bread making :)

Superbread (Honey Wheat, Multigrain Mix)



In an effort to save a little cash, I decided to learn the insurmountable task of breadmaking. To be honest the only thing that stood in the way of me taking on that task was the dreaded (...DUN, DUN, DUNNNNN!!!) YEAST!  (insert *gasp* here)
SO I went to my dear omniscient friend Google and asked him "How do I make bread?"
Up came a thousand recipes, which I filed...but still didn't know how to get started...until one of the comments finally helped. And I MADE BREAD! Great bread too!
Weeks later I learned how to use breadmaker, and although it was much more efficient, I could not make my recipe because it required boiling cornmeal. So I have resolved that although breadmakers are amazing, I can have more control over the process when I do it all (but DANG, it takes all morning). SO here's my recipe for the best bread in the world. :)


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
• 1 tablespoon millet
• 1 tablespoon quinoa
• ½ cup wheat bran
• 1 tablespoon cracked wheat
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat berries
• 3 (.25 ounce) packages instant yeast
• 1 cup rye flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 8 cups unbleached flour




First put the salt, olive oil, and honey into a large mixing bowl.



. Then put the water in a saucepan and add the cornmeal and grains.

While stirring it constantly, bring the cornmeal to a low boil and boil it for 5 minutes. If you aren't attentive enough, you will get lumps that will need to be picked out during the kneading process. Add the cooked cornmeal to the mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly blended.

If you have a candy thermometer, stir the mixture until it cools to between 110 and 115 degrees. If you don'thave a thermometer, continue to stir just until there is no more steam coming from the mixture.

This is the time to add the yeast. Stir in the yeast and let it rest for 10 minutes. While you are waiting, prepare your flours by sticking a whisk into the flour bag and whisking the flour to fluff it up.

 Now add a large cup of rye flour to the bubbly cornmeal yeast mixture and stir it in. Then add a large cup of whole wheat flour and mix it in.

Next, add all-purpose flour 1 cup at a time until the dough isn't too sticky (probably 3 or 4 cups). Then sprinkle lots of flour onto your kneading board and scrape all of the dough out of the bowl.

Set your timer for 10 minutes and start kneading the dough, continually sprinkling generous amounts of flour.

Place round of dough into a well-oiled bowl. Cover with a warm wet towel. Allow dough to rise 30 minutes, or until doubled.

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

**Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until bottoms of the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

**optional- cover loaves with egg wash, and/or press grains into crust before cooking.

This bread turns out great and dense. Excellent reheated and toasted too. Retains it's moisture well. It lasts a couple of weeks in the fridge because the honey works as a natural preservative!