Written: 11/2006
Don’t confuse 7-grain hot cereal mix with boxed, cold breakfast cereals that may also be labeled 7-grain. Our favorite brands of 7-grain mix are Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills. Leftover rolls can be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days; wrapped with an additional layer of aluminum foil, the rolls can be frozen for up to one month. This recipe works for a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or two 9 by 9-inch baking dishes.
20 ounces boiling water (2 1/2 cups)
15 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (3 cups), plus extra for dusting work surface
7 1/2 ounces whole wheat flour (1 1/2 cups)
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon table salt
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, (unsalted)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats
Some multigrain loaves are fluffy but flavorless, while others are delicious but dense. We wanted the best of both worlds.
1. Place cereal mix in bowl of standing mixer and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour. Whisk flours in medium bowl.
2. Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter, and yeast and stir to combine. Attach bowl to standing mixer fitted with dough hook. With mixer running on low speed, add flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough forms ball, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest 20 minutes. Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3 to 4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2 to 3 tablespoons additional all-purpose flour and continue mixing); continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes. Add seeds and knead for another 15 seconds. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead by hand until seeds are dispersed evenly and dough forms smooth, taut ball. Place dough into greased container with 4-quart capacity; cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two 9 by 9-inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and cut in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper. Cut each half into thirds, then into thirds again, to make 18 even sized pieces of dough. Gently roll each piece in circular motion to make round, then roll one side of dough in oats and place in baking pan, oat side up. Repeat to fill both baking pans with nine rolls each. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. (Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle.) Bake until internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove rolls from pans and cool on wire rack before serving, about 2 hours.