Free recipe: Multigrain

  FIRST OF ALL

Any recipe is a general guide line. There is no law (trust me) that says you are not allowed to change anything and nobody is going to call CSIS because you cut down on the salt, up the sugar or replace the cranberries with raisins.

So...don't be a slave to numbers. They are your guide. A very, very good friend of yours, just like letters - the text in your recipe. But they are not the law of the land so if you have any questions or concerns about anything in the world of baking, give me a shout and I will be happy to help you. Free of charge, of course.

Pour boiling water over 200 gr of multigrain mix (Seeds, grains, dried fruits, whatever you have in the house). Just enough boiling water to cover your multigrain mix. Leave it to soak for a few hours, or even better, overnight, so it's ready (grains soft enough to chew) when  you wake up next morning.

Next morning you throw 400 gr of well developed sourdough in a bowl, add 10 gr of salt, 20 gr of oil and all the soft grains plus any leftover water there might be in your multigrain mix (it won't be much).

Now you are going to need approximately 400 gr flour. For the loaf you see here, I used wheat based sourdough and all purpose flour, but I encourage you to experiment with different flours while keeping at least 50% of your flour all purpose. This is because you are going to need the gluten in the wheat for your breads to 'rise'. But by all means, make your 400 gr of flour 300 gr wheat and 100 gr rye. You get a wonderful loaf with more density and flavour. Or even 200 wheat + 200 dark rye.

Ok, now...mix, mix, mix. Knead, knead, knead. Keywords here are "maximum gluten elasticity". That's what you want to obtain. As much 'bounce' in your dough at possible. This means your dough is well developed and will rise better. When you have obtained that maximum gluten elasticity, you leave your dough to rest - covered, so it doesn't dry out - until it starts growing on you.

Once your dough "starts moving" on you, you divide it into however many pieces you want and then you shape them into loaves and this is the point in time where I rolled mine in rye flour. Now you leave them to rest (covered) again until double size, at which point in time you can give them a little cut if you like and then put them in the oven and bake them at 400 F until golden brown in colour. Then take 'em out of the 'crematorium' and lettem it cool off on a cooling rack.

Check out THESE tips on baking stones and keeping your dough moist at all times.

Click HERE for how to do your sourdough

Please note that any reference relating to times or temperatures are approximate and estimates only, as ovens and circumstances are variables. I do not take any responsibility for the final result but will be more than happy to help you with free advice and guidance.

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