Multigrain Bread Recipe

I love making breads at home. I think those homemade breads taste way better than the store bought ones. And also you can keep track of the ingredients that goes into that.

The advantage of homemade bread is, it is so cheap to make at home and also healthy without much preservatives.

About Multigrain Bread (Homemade)

I love experimenting with breads, so far I have made a pure whole wheat bread and white bread. Always wanted to make a multi grain bread, so I experimented couple weeks back and it was really good.

I added multigrain cereal and wheat flour in this. The hot cereal mix which I used had oats, wheat, barley, ragi and flax seeds.

This homemade multigrain bread is a healthier and flavourful alternative to the plain white bread. It is made with wholesome ingredients like wheat flour, multigrain cereal, all purpose flour and yeast. It makes a soft, hearty bread full of natural goodness in every slice.

If you love baking bread at home and want to try something nutritious, flavorful and easy, then make this multigrain bread and it is definitely worth trying.

My Experiments with Multigrain Bread

I have been experimenting with multigrain bread for the past few weeks. Believe it or not, I have made over 5 loafs of bread with different measurements, different ingredients and grains.

But I found out that, using grain flours like bajra, sorghum, ragi, oats into the wheat flour cuts out the gluten formation and results in dense and super heavy loaf.

I even tried adding eggs, plain flour too, still the bread was dense. The taste was great but the slices of bread turned out super dense and sometimes gummy tasting.

So I developed this recipe which used multigrain cereal which is available in the stores. The grains used is already puffed so it blends easily into the dough without making the dough dense.

If you don't have multigrain cereal available. You can use instant oats of rolled oats instead of the cereal. But try to source them, since they add more nutrition to the bread.

Once the loaf is baked, it was soft, tender and tasted just like regular bread. My kids totally enjoyed this bread as a sandwich or morning toast.

You can check my Multigrain sandwich bread whcih is made with ragi flour, oat flour, gram flour and wheat flour.

Multigrain Cereal

The hot cereal which I used is from the brand quaker. It is has 5 grains added into the cereal mix. The grains are puffed up so it cooks faster and also gives perfect texture to the bread.

The combination of grains like ragi, oats, barley, flax seeds, and wheat adds a nutty flavour and makes the b.

The store bought bread often contains preservatives, but baking at home means you know exactly what goes into your loaf and gives you the joy of serving fresh and healthy bread to your family.

This bread is perfect for making sandwiches and toast. But, honestly the best way to enjoy it is fresh and warm from the oven. Simply slice them, spread a little butter on top and enjoy the flavours.

All purpose flour: All purpose flour helps to make a soft and light textured loaf. The gluten content in the flour makes the bread fluffy and holds the ingredients together.

Whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour is rich in fiber that helps to make a nutritious bread. It also adds a mild nutty flavour and makes the loaf hearty.

Multigrain Cereal: The hot cereal which I used is from the brand quaker. It is has 5 grains added into the cereal mix. The grains are puffed up so it cooks faster and also gives perfect texture to the bread.

Yeast: When activated with warm water, yeast creates air bubbles that help the bread to rise and become fluffy.

Sugar: Sugar adds a mild sweetness and also helps to activate the yeast better.

Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavour of the bread. Adjust according to your taste.

Olive oil: Olive oil elevates the aroma and flavour of the bread, while keeping them soft and moist.

Hot water & Milk: Water and milk is poured over the hot cereal which makes it soft.

Egg: it is optional, but used in brushing on top of bread which makes the bread golden and also helps the topping stick over the bread.

Toppings: i used flax seeds, sunflower seeds, instant oats are sprinkled on top for extra crunch and flavour. It also adds a nice visual appeal to the bread and makes them more attractive.

Softening Cereal

2)Take cereal mix, hot water and hot milk in the bowl of the stand mixer or regular bowl.

3)Mix once and set aside for 30 minutes so the cereal can soften. Also the milk and water will cool to luke warm.

Activate Yeast

4)Once it has softened. Touch and see whether the milk and water has cooled to luke warm temperature. Once it is cooled, add in honey. Instead of honey, you can use sugar or brown sugar.

5)Add yeast over the warm milk mixture and set aside so the yeast can activate.

6) It will get foamy and bubbly.

Make Dough

6)Now add in plain flour, whole wheat flour to the yeast mixture.

7)Add salt over the flour.

8)Pour in oil or melted butter.

9)place this on the stand mixer and let it knead for 8 to 10 minutes until it comes together to a soft and tacky dough.

10) If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead this using an electric beater with a dough hook or use hands.

First proof

11)Once the dough is kneaded enough. transfer this to a greased bowl. Cover with a cloth and let it rise for 1 hour until it is doubled in size.

12)You can see the dough has doubled in size.

Shaping Loaf

13)once risen, punch out the air and transfer to a work surface. Degas the dough and shape it into a rectangle.

14) Now roll it gently and form into a tight log like.

15)Seal the edges of the dough.

Second Rise

16)Now place this into a greased loaf pan.

17)Cover loosely and set aside somewhere warm so the loaf rises. It should rise and come just above the loaf pan. During the last 15 minutes of the rising time, preheat oven to 180 degree C (360 degree F).

Egg wash

18)once risen, brush top generously with egg wash. Sprinkle top generously with oats, flax seeds, sunflower seeds.

Baking Loaf

19)Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove it from oven and let it cool down for 10 minutes.

20)Once cooled, Remove loaf from oven and cool it completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Expert Tips

Warm Temperature: Before adding yeast, ensure the mixture gets luke warm. Always use warm water to activate the yeast. If it is too hot, it can kill the yeast and the bread won't rise properly.

Soak the oats: Soak the oats in water before adding to the dough. This helps to soften the oats and it adds extra moist and texture to the bread without drying out.

Rising time: Bread usually needs double rising time. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size, punch out the air then shape it in the loaf tin. And let it rise again before baking. This ensures a soft, airy and fluffy bread.

Cooling time: Once the bread is baked, allow it to cool on a wire rack before storing. This prevents the bread turning soggy from trapped moisture.

Storage: Homemade multigrain bread usually stays fresh at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Once the bread has completely cooled, store it in a bread box or airtight container to maintain its flavour and softness.

Serving: Multigrain bread is versatile and can be enjoyed in multiple ways: You can toast the slice and spread with butter, jam, nutella or peanut butter for a quick snack to enjoy.

This bread also works perfect for making sandwiches like grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken sandwiches or avocado toast to have a filling, nutritious and wholesome meal to enjoy anytime of the day.

Q. Can I add nuts or seeds?

Absolutely! You can make the bread extra nutritious and flavourful by adding nuts or seeds of your choice, like sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashewnut or flax seeds. This adds extra crunch to the loaf.

Q. Why is my multigrain bread so dense?

This usually happens if too much flour is added or if the dough has not given enough rising time. Make sure to measure the flour accurately and allow the dough to rise properly for a soft loaf.

Q. Why do I need to soak oats before mixing?

Soaking oats helps them soften and prevent the bread from drying out.