No Knead Multigrain Bread

ACE Bakery has not called me yet. It's getting closer, but my bread still isn't bakery-quality yet. I got frustrated with the whole wheat bread I've been making, so I tried out a new recipe -- No Knead Multigrain Bread, from a book called Kneadlessly Simple.

The premise is that this bread has a really long, cold rise time, so it's not as time sensitive as regular bread and less finicky. Plus you don't need any equipment except for a bowl and a spoon.  While mine was not perfect, I am pretty sure I know where I went wrong, so I'm making progress!! I am going to try this one again and hope to perfect it.

Ingredients

• 3 cups white bread flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour (I found this at Bulk Barn, but you can also get this at health food stores)
• 2 T of quick rolled oats (not instant)
• 2 1/2 T sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 T EACH of sesame seeds, flax seeds and poppy seeds 
• 2 T cornmeal
• 1 tsp Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast

Directions

1. Mix together all the dry ingredients EXCEPT the corn meal

2. Stir some ice cubes into 2 cups of water and leave for at least 30 seconds before measuring

3. Add the water a little bit at a time stirring vigorously. (I found this very difficult to do and either don't have enough muscle in my arms, or vigorously was a little too enthusiastic)

5. First rise: Once combined and mixed, rub some oil into the top of the bread and cover with plastic wrap. You can refrigerate for three to 10 hours. Then, let rise in a cool place for 12 to 18 hours (at about 70 degrees)

6. Next, brush a 9 x 5 pan with oil and then put in 1 tsp of cornmeal on bottom and shake around to cover sides, too. Scrape down the sides of the bread into the centre of the boal with an oiled spatula and then roll it into the loaf pan. Pour some oil on top and gently press bread down into sides of loaf pan. Generously brush with water and sprinkle the remaining cornmeal on top. Finally, with a serrated, oiled knife, cut a 1/2 inch deep slit down the centre lengthwise. Cover with plastic wrap.

7. Second rise: For a 2-4 hour regular rise, let stand at warm (74-75 degree) room temp.

For a 45 min- 2 hour accelerated rise (I used this one, and but left it for two hours until it rose almost fully) let stand in a turned off microwave along with 1 C of boiling water. When the dough nears the plastic, remove it and continue the rise until the dough extends 1/2 inch above the rim of the pan.

8. 15 minutes before baking time, put a rack on the very lowest rack of your oven and place a broiler pan (or other shallow baking pan) on it. Place your other rack one notch above that and preheat to 450 degrees.

To bake, reduce heat to 425. Add one cup of water to the pan on the bottom rack; don't refill if it boils dry. Bake bread on the other rack for 35-45 minutes or until the loaf is nicely browned. Cover the top with foil and continue baking for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just slightly moist particles clinging to the bottom portion (or the internal temp registers 204-207 degrees). Remove the loaf to to a cooling rack. When it's cool enough to handle, you can take it out of the pan.

The inside of the bread was absolutely delicious. Like bakery bread. It "tore" and had delicious air pockets and was overall wonderful. Where I went wrong though, is that when I had the oven at 450 degrees, I turned it down to 425 right when I put the bread in the oven, so it burned and the crust was a little too crusty.

I'll definitely make this one again, though. I think it has great possibilities and what's also amazing is that you can mix the dry ingredients in advance and then all you need to do when you're ready, is add water.