Cookery by Crookery

I jumped into action this past weekend, ready to try the crustier and lifted version of the AI Low GI Bread. I got halfway through the ingredients only to realize that I forgot to buy Vital Wheat Gluten.

I checked with Gemini if this would be an issue, but she said that we should be ok due to the high protein content of the King Arthur Artisan Bread flour. I was ready to bake and had everything, so I thought let’s try it.

The result of this bread well exceeded my expectations. It’s dense, seeded, and immensely tasty with some Kerrygold slathered atop. I think with the next loaf I am going to use honey instead of molasses to see what flavor profile I unlock. I will also use Vital Wheat Gluten to experience the full lift effect I missed this time.

Why I love this bread: it’s not just full of air like some breads. This has substance to it! You eat a slice and feel like food went into your belly and you know you’re not just going to be hungry again in an hour. I also love the texture of the seeds and the ease of baking this bread. No kneading. Simple.

The Ultimate High-Lift Style Seed Bread (Open Tin Edition)

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup King Arthur Artisan Bread Flour
• 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten (this is what I forgot to buy)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 cup mixed seeds (sunflower, sesame, flaxseed, and roasted/salted pepitas)
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp salt

Wet:

• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tbsp molasses, honey, or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice  (dough conditioner)

Topping:

• 1 tbsp rolled oats
• A small handful of raw seeds (sunflower, sesame, or flax—leave the roasted pepitas out of the topping!) [I disobeyed Gemini and added pepitas to the topping]

Instructions:

1. Prep Your Pan: Spray the inside of your standard open loaf tin thoroughly with PAM Baking spray.
2. Mix the Dry: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, King Arthur bread flour, vital wheat gluten, oats, bran, chopped seeds, instant yeast, and salt.
3. Mix the Wet: In a separate measuring jug, dissolve the molasses into 2 1/4 cups of the warm water. Stir in the oil and the fresh lemon juice. (Note: If the final batter feels too stiff to mix, add the remaining 1/4 cup of water).
4. Combine: Pour the wet mixture into your dry ingredients and stir vigorously until everything is fully incorporated into a wet, heavy batter.
5. Garnish and Crown: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula. Sprinkle your raw seed and oat topping over the batter, pressing them down gently so they stick.
6. The Rise: Place the pan into your Brød & Taylor proofer set between 82°F and 85°F. Let it rise until the top of the batter beautifully crowns just above the rim of the pan (usually 30 to 45 minutes with this high-lift recipe).
7. The Tin Bake: Preheat your oven to 390°F. Bake the loaf in the tin for 30 minutes.
8. The “Naked” Finish: Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully turn the bread out of the tin and place the bare loaf directly onto your oven rack. Bake for a final 10 minutes to crisp up the bottom and sides perfectly.

Cool the loaf completely on a wire rack before slicing! 

If you don’t have a proofing box, somewhere warm will work. If you live in Florida like me, you could probably just put it outside 😃