Jan Bretts Whole Grain Bread...

Jan Bretts is a very, very beloved childrens book author and illustrator...I say childrens very quietly because I have my own collection of her books and I know my cousin does too...They are fun to read to children, the stories are great but the illustrations are what draw you in...they are fantastic! Check them out if you already haven't...I saw this bread recipe and knew I had to give it a try and oh ... am I glad I did! It is so delicious and healthy at the same time!
I copied her exact recipe here..and I will tell you what I did in the pictures after it...

Crunchy Whole Grain Bread

Mix 1 1/2 packets of yeast with 1/2 c warm water and let fluff up and bubble

add

1/2 cup molasses
1 t sea salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk powder if you can find it, or powdered milk, if not — this ingredient is not essential
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup softened butter, some stores carry homemade which I prefer

Blend this mixture and add 8 cups of flour– the kind of flours for this recipe will follow. After adding one half the total amount of flour, blend in 1 cup walnuts chopped very fine and 1 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional) — it’s easier to blend the nuts and fruit this way.


The 8 cups of flour include
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup King Arthur Harvest Crunchy Grains Blend
3 cups King Arthur 12 grain flour - I ordered from their website, but if you can’t be bothered use whole wheat flour.
4 cups of King Arthur bread flour, found in most grocery stores. It has more gluten in it and makes a chewy texture to your bread. Sometimes I will use King Arthur white whole wheat flour which I order from the website.
I knead the dough for 10 minutes, timed. Place the bread in a greased bowl in a warm place with a damp towel on top. It should rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down and shape into two loaves to fit standard pans, that have greased with butter, let rise and place in a cold oven. Turn temperature to 400° for 10 minutes and turn down to 375° for a remaining 20 to 25 minutes until done. A loaf of bread that is fully cooked will sound drum like when tapped on the top. Do not peek!Whoops, I think the last instructions is for my gingerbread recipe! It is best to bake bread on a sunshiney day with low humidity. I think my fresh hen’s eggs also contribute to a nicely risen loaf! Thank you Bonnie, Foo-lion, Pang, Cindy, Cricket, and Fleur, my best laying hens!

add the molasses, egg, and water, yeast mix, buttermilk powder and softened butter , mix....

add 3 cups of wheat flour and the nuts, seeds, cranberries, wheat germ and mix well....

these are the wheat flour and unbleached bread flour that I bought....seemed important to use bread flour...

sunflower seeds....

wheat germ and sesame seeds...

this is how it looks all mixed up....add the seeds you like, could be other healthy ones you like...the walnuts were great as well as the cranberries...

I used my dough hook to knead the bread...slowly add your 4 cups of bread flour...measure carefully, add 3 cups first and then add more if needed...it is really hard to take out if you add to much...experience talking here...

when I turned out the bread on my breadboard I saw where the seeds didn't get mixed in so I just kneaded it some by hand....

put it in the bowl and placed a towel on top and put in a warm place to rise till double...

ready to go in oven....

out of the oven....

butter the top.....

and get ready to enjoy the healthiest and best tasting bread!

It is great as toast in the morning! or in the evening snuggling with a child, a hot cup of tea and a great Jan Brett book...

Cheers to Happy  !!