The unique flavors and textures of our Harvest Grains Blend lend nuttiness and chew to this bread's otherwise mellow sweetness and soft, moist crumb. We like it best for toasting and tartine-style eating, but it makes a fine sandwich or soup sopper-upper.
To make the dough: Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Mix and knead all the ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to form a smooth, elastic dough, 7 to 10 minutes. If the dough does not come together after a few minutes, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little bit sticky but should be firm enough to hold its shape.
Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on the vigor of your starter), until noticeably puffy, though not doubled in bulk.
Lightly grease a Bread Baking Bowl.
To make the seed crust: On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a round. Spread Harvest Grains Blend on rimmed baking sheet or piece of parchment. Wet a clean kitchen towel, then wring it out; it should still be pretty damp. Roll the top and the sides of the shaped round over towel to moisten, then roll it through grain blend to coat.
Place the loaf in the baking bowl seam-side down, cover, and let itrise until it fills the bowl, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400°F with rack in the lower third.
Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, tenting with foil if need to prevent overbrowning, until the bread is golden brown and the interior registers 190°F on a digital thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and promptly turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
Don’t have any starter? Here’s a recipe for homemade sourdough starter. If you're making it from scratch, you'll need to feed it for 5 to 7 days before it’s ready for baking. Want a head start? Purchase our classic fresh sourdough starter — it’ll be ready for baking soon after it arrives at your door. Looking for tips, techniques, and all kinds of great information about sourdough baking? Find what you need in our sourdough baking guide.
If you don't have a Bread Baking Bowl, form the dough into a round or a log and place it on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the bread on the baking sheet for a total of 35 to 45 minutes, until the interior registers 190°F on a digital thermometer.
Looking for more ways to use your Harvest Grains Blend? Try these recipes: Seeded Sourdough Soda Bread, Clay's Multigrain Sourdough Sandwich Bread, Savory Granola, and Harvest Grains Buns.
