Whole Wheat / Molasses Seeded Bread

I receive King Arthur Baking Company’s magazine and always peruse the products and recipes. This month there was a beautiful picture of their Molasses Multi-Seed Bread and decided to give it a try.

I discovered two things. More seeds are better and try different time/temperature combinations. I made it as directed and the final loaf was overdone, although the internal temp was just 195°F. Next time I will either drop the temp a little, maybe to 350°F or 325°F. I will also tent it with foil earlier. This time, my first attempt, I tented it for the final 10 minutes, but it was too late.

I may also need to buy a tea loaf pan. The standard 4” x 9” was really to small for the bread to be shaped correctly. The 12” x 4” tea loaf, as specified by KAB would be better. Maybe… let it rise (second rise) on a French bread pan. I may try that before investing in a tea loaf pan that I would use infrequently.

Molasses Multi Seed Bread

INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 cup (170g) warm milk, 105° to 110°F
• 1/2 cup (113g) warm water, 105° to 110°F
• 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 1/2 cups (300g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid, optional
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup (85g) molasses
• 3/4 cup (129g) Artisan Bread Topping, divided

METHOD

1. To make the dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all the ingredients except the bread topping. Mix and knead with a dough hook for about 8 minutes until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms, adding a tablespoon of flour if needed. With a minute or so left, knead in 1/4 cup of the topping.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until puffy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. To shape the bread: Deflate the dough and divide it in half; roll each half into a 12” rope. Roll one of the ropes in the remaining topping. Be sure the rope is VERY well covered with seeds. When it rises the seeds will separate.
4. Pinch the ends of the ropes together and twist one over the other, pinching them together at the opposite end.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased tea loaf pan or similar long loaf pan (12″ x 4″). Cover and let rise until the bread domes 1” above the edge of the pan, about 1 hour. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 375°F.
6. Uncover the loaf and egg wash the un-seeded rope.
7. Bake for 32 to 36 minutes, or until a digital thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F. The bread was too dark with this time/temp setting. (Drop temp to 350°F and tent the bread with foil after 20 min or so, before it turns dark.)
8. Remove the bread from the oven and place the pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Tilt the bread out of the pan and return it to the rack to finish cooling completely.
9. Store bread, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.