New Easy 7 Grain Bread

This whole wheat bread skips the kneading entirely. Seven grain cereal soaked in boiling water softens into a porridge-like base, then gets mixed with whole wheat flour, honey, eggs, and yeast into a thick batter that you simply spread into loaf pans and let rise.

The cereal blend brings a variety of textures and flavors that plain flour can’t deliver: chewy grains, nutty seeds, and a heartiness that makes each slice substantial enough to be a meal with just butter and jam.

Honey sweetens the loaves naturally and helps the crust brown beautifully. Two packets of yeast ensure a strong rise despite the heavy whole wheat flour and grain cereal weighing the dough down.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the cereal cool to lukewarm before adding the dissolved yeast. Hot cereal will kill the yeast and your bread won’t rise.
• This is a batter bread, not a traditional dough. It will be sticky and thick, not smooth and elastic. Don’t add extra flour trying to make it behave like regular bread dough.
• Beat vigorously for the full 2 minutes. This develops enough gluten structure to give the bread lift despite the heavy grain load.
• The loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom and are golden brown on top.

Variations

• Add a handful of sunflower seeds or flax seeds for extra crunch and nutrition.
• Swap honey for molasses for a darker, more robust flavor.
• Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with rolled oats before baking for a bakery-style finish.