I was in the mood for something different and came across this bread. This loaf is moist with some fun crunch. You can change the seeds or omit entirely. The dough itself is mildly sweet and extremely satisfying. While our loaf didn’t rise as much as other reviewers suggested it would, I enjoyed the denser, moist texture. It’s delicious for french toast.
Molasses Bread, from King Arthur Flour
1 1/2 cups warm milk, 105° to 110°F
1 cup warm water, 105° to 110°F
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
4 to 5 cups Bread Flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast (first choice) or active dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 cup molasses
Directions
- Blend together the milk, water, melted butter, white wheat flour and 2 cups of the bread flour in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add yeast and salt, and beat the mixture for 2 minutes. (If you’re using active dry yeast, reserve 1/4 cup of water in which to proof the yeast before adding it.)
- Beat in the seeds and molasses. Add the remaining bread flour gradually, beating all the while, until the dough has formed a smooth ball. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes on medium speed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it briefly; it should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning it so the top of the dough is coated with a thin film of oil. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Punch down the dough, divide it in half and shape each piece into a loaf. Place the loaves in two lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch bread pans, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until the dough has crowned 1 inch over the top of the pans, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Bake the bread in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaves registers 190°F. Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
