No-Knead Multigrain Harvest Bread & Reader Feedback
Author: Nancy Baggett
Ingredients
  • 3⅔ cups (18.5 ounces) unbleached bread flour or all-purpose white flour, plus more as needed
  • ½ cup crushed cornflakes (measure after crushing), divided
  • ½ cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats (not instant)
  • Generous 1½ teaspoons plain table salt
  • 1¼ teaspoons Rapidrise, bread machine or instant yeast
  • 1¾ cup ice water (stir cold water with a heaping cup of ice cubes, then remove cubes before measuring), plus more ice water if needed
  • ¼ cup honey stirred together with 1 tablespoon water
  • ⅓ cup corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. First Rise: In a 4-quart or larger bowl thoroughly stir together the white flour, half the crushed cornflakes, the oats, salt, and yeast. (Reserve the remaining cornflakes for garnish.) In a large measuring cup, stir together the water, honey and water and oil until well blended. Vigorously stir the liquid into the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. The dough should be stiff enough to hold its shape but should not look dry; if necessary, stir in a little more flour or water if needed. Lightly brush or spray the dough top with oil.
  2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. For fullest flavor or convenience, refrigerate the dough for up to 8 hours; this is optional. Set it out at cool room temperature (about 70 degrees F) to rise for 11 to 18 hours; this is required.
  3. Second Rise: Vigorously stir the dough, scraping down the bowl sides. If it is at all soft, vigorously stir in enough more flour to yield a stiff dough that holds its shape. Generously oil a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle a scant half of the remaining crushed cornflakes into the pan, tipping it back and forth to coat the surface with the flakes. Turn out, then press the dough evenly into the pan.
  4. Smooth out the dough surface with well oiled fingertips or a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the remaining cornflakes over the loaf top, pressing down very firmly all over to imbed. With oiled kitchen shears or a sharp oiled knife, cut three or four evenly spaced ¼-inch deep slashes diagonally along the loaf top. Cover the pan with oiled or nonstick spray-coated plastic wrap.
  5. Let rise using any of these methods: for a 1¼ to 2½ hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1 hour to 1½ hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, up to 48 hours, then set out at room temperature. If the dough nears the plastic wrap remove it, then continue the rise until the dough is ½ inch above the pan rim.
  6. Baking Preliminaries: Fifteen minutes before baking time, place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees F.
  7. Baking: Bake (middle rack) for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is nicely browned. Cover with foil and continue baking about 25 to 30 minutes longer, until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles clinging to the bottom. Bake 5 minutes more (or to 206-209 degrees F) on an instant read thermometer) to be sure the center is done.
  8. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack until cooled to warm. Completely cool the loaf on a rack before packing for storage.
  9. Serving and Storing: Serve warm, toasted, or at room temperature. Store airtight in plastic at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or freeze, airtight, for up to 1 month.
Recipe by KitchenLane at http://kitchenlane.com/2012/03/mulitigrain-harvest-bread-new.html