Few Grain Bread

My best yet, if I do say so myself. No, but seriously, i love how you can taste all the grains in this. 

Sponge: 

Dissolve about 1.5 tablespoon yeast in 1/2 c warm water. 

It should start to bubble within a few minutes. 

~If it doesn't the water was probably too hot and killed the yeast. 

Stir in 1/2 c whole wheat flour and let this sit, covered in an 'off' oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, stir in about 1/4 c honey, or a heaping spoonful, or whatever.

Dry ingredients: 

Stir together

1/2 c whole wheat flour

3 c all purpose or bread flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 oat bran

1/2 hulled millet

1/4 c sunflower seeds

1/4 c flax seeds

Note: These grains are what I just happened to have around, so the amounts and variety of grains could be changed up, but millet is the most important. 

After stirring well, pour about 2 tbs olive oil into the flour and stir well; it will kind of disappear into the flour like when you rub in butter.

Use your fork to make a well in flour mixture and pour in:

the yeast and honey mixture and 3/4 c water

Stir vigorously with a fork, bringing small amounts of flour into the wet mixture at a time.

Knead:

Once its stirred enough to hold together, turn out the dough (bread talk for 'dump') onto a clean, floured surface and begin kneading. Use the heel of your hands to push down and out on the dough and then turn it 90 degrees and repeat. This technique makes sure to incorporate all of the parts of the dough.

When you start it will be slightly sticky and almost fall apart, but the more you knead (adding sprinkles of flour when it sticks to your hand) the gluten forms bonds and it starts to feel more cohesive and stretchy. 

Let it sit covered in an 'off' oven for 10 minutes, then knead for (only!) ten seconds. Repeat three times.

Let double (meaning, cover and let it sit in a warm place - like an off oven... sorry to be repeating myself - for about thirty minutes)

Cut the dough into two or three pieces (depending on how big you want each loaf, i suggest 3 so it doesnt dry out when cooking) and shape into loaves. Place in greased loaf pans. (I made some mini loaves that you see in the pictures)

Let double again.

Bake:

350 degrees for about thirty minutes, depending on how big your loaves are (30 minutes was perfect for three loaves, but maybe 35 or 40 for two loaves?)

Use a knife to make sure the sides aren't sticking to the sides of the pan and dry on drying rack.