Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups and 2 tablespoons water, room temperature (70 to 90°F).
- 1/2 cup rolled oats or barley flakes.
- 1/4 cup flax seed, cracked.
- 2 cups unbleached flour.
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.
- 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten.
- 1 tablespoon powdered milk.
- 2 tablespoons honey.
- 1 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast.
- 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil.
- 2 teaspoons salt.
Directions
Equipment: A 9 by 5 inch/ 7 cup bread pan, coated lightly with cooking spray. A baking stone set toward the bottom rung and a cast-iron pan on the floor of the oven.
Step 1: Make the dough (Bread Machine)
In the bread machine container, combine water, oats, and cracked flax and mix to moisten. Then let sit covered for a minimum of 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, gluten, powdered milk, and yeast.
Add the honey, and oil to the oat mixture and then the flour mixture. Mix 3 minutes and allow to rest for 20. If your bread machine always restarts with a 3-minute mix allow it to do so while adding the salt and then go into the kneading cycle for 4 minutes. If it starts with the kneading cycle also run it for 4 minutes, adding the salt at the beginning of the kneading cycle.
Step 2: Let the dough rise
Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 2 quart container with cover or bowl, greased lightly with cooking spray or oil.
Push down the dough and lightly spray or oil the top of the dough. It will be 4 cups /943 grams/33 ounces). Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. With a piece of tape, mark where double the height would be.
Allow the dough to rise (ideally at 80 to 82°F/28°C) until doubled, about 1 hour, 15 min. For extra strength and elasticity, you can stretch it after the first 30 minutes. To achieve a moist and warm temperature, put a small container of very hot water—about 1 cup–under a plastic box to create a proofer and change the water every 20 to 30 minutes.
You can retard the dough overnight after the first rise by gently deflating it and refrigerating it, but it seems to rise best when baked the same day. If you refrigerate it overnight, remove it to room temperature. For about an hour before shaping.
Step 3: Shape the dough and let it rise
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and press it down to flatten it slightly. It will still be sticky but use only as much flour as absolutely necessary. Shape it into a log and allow it to relax covered for 20 minutes. (This is essential for an evenly shaped dough.)
Shape the dough into a loaf, set it into the prepared baking pan. It will be about 3/4 inches from the top of the pan.
Cover the shaped dough with the plastic box or oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise until almost doubled and when pressed gently with a finger the depression very slowly fills in. The highest point will be about 1 1/2 inches higher than the sides of the pan.
Using the plastic box and hot water, it takes 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. At a cooler temperature, it will take longer. Meantime, preheat the oven for a minimum of 40 minutes.
Step 4: Slash and bake the bread
If you like the look of bread with a slash down the middle, with a sharp knife or straight edged razor blade, make a 1/2 inch deep slash down the top of the dough. You can also leave it unslashed.
Mist the dough with water, quickly but gently set the baking sheet on the hot stone or hot baking sheet and toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath. Immediately shut the door, lower the temperature to 375ºF/190ºC, and bake 20 minutes.
Turn the dough around, tent, and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. An instant read thermometer inserted into the centre will read about 205°F).
Step 5: Cool the bread
Unmold the bread onto a wire rack and allow it to cool, top-side-up, until barely warm.
Photo by hermaion for illustration only.
