Crunchy Farmhouse Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons liquid honey
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (approx)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup natural bran
• 1/4 cup millet or sesame seed
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. 1

   In large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Whisk in honey, butter and egg. With wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups (500 mL) of the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, cornmeal, bran, millet and salt until smooth. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to form slightly sticky dough.

2. 2

   Turn out onto floured surface; knead for 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, dusting with as much of the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1-1/2 hours.

3. 3

   Punch down dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead into round loaf, stretching dough down all around and pinching underneath to shape. Dust top with flour; place on greased baking sheet. Cover with clean towel; let rise until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes.

4. 4

   Using serrated knife, slash shallow grid pattern on top of loaf. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove from pan; let cool on rack.

5. 5

   Additional Information.

6. 6

   Bread Machine Crunchy Farmhouse Bread: Choose whole grain setting; let baked loaf cool on rack.

7. 7

   Bread Machine Fill-Up.

8. 8

   The order of ingredients going into the bread machine differs from the handmade method. Generally, the machine should be filled as follows, unless, of course, the manufacturer's instructions say otherwise.

9. 9

   Into pan of 2-lb (1 kg) bread machine, add (in order) wet ingredients such as water, milk, buttermilk, oil, butter, egg, yogurt, honey and syrup. Then add any sugar and salt. Next add dry ingredients such as flour, bran, oats, seeds, cornmeal and millet. Sprinkle yeast over top, without letting yeast touch liquid. Choose appropriate setting.