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Easy No-Knead Four-Grain Batter Bread
The secret to this rustic loaf is skipping the kneading entirely. This hearty batter bread fills your kitchen with the comforting aroma of a bakery, using a wholesome blend of whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and oats. You simply mix the wet and dry ingredients, let the soft dough rise directly in the pan, and bake. It's a foolproof method that yields a beautifully textured crumb and a slightly nutty flavor. You'll love serving thick, toasted slices with butter for breakfast or using them to build towering sandwiches for lunch.
Ingredients
- 4½ to 4¾ cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 packages regular active or fast-acting dry yeast (4½ teaspoons)
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup wheat germ
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8×4-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal.
Instructions
- 1Grease the bottoms and sides of two 8x4-inch loaf pans with cooking spray, then sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast.
- 2Warm the milk and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the warm liquid into the dry flour mixture. Getting the temperature right is important so you don't kill the yeast.
- 3Blend the mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 4Fold in the whole wheat flour, wheat germ, quick-cooking oats, and just enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to form a stiff batter. Divide the dough evenly between the prepared loaf pans.
- 5Shape the tops of the loaves gently with floured hands to create a rounded dome, then dust the surface lightly with cornmeal. Drape plastic wrap loosely over the pans.
- 6Set the pans in a warm spot to rise for about 30 minutes, or until the batter reaches 1 inch below the rim of the pans.
- 7Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the loaves for 25 minutes until the tops turn a light golden brown. Transfer the bread from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Variation: For a sweeter whole wheat and raisin loaf, increase the whole wheat flour to 2 cups, omit the wheat germ and oats, and stir in 1 cup of raisins with the second addition of all-purpose flour.
- Tip: Batter bread dough remains quite soft and sticky by design. Avoid the temptation to add too much flour or knead it by hand before transferring it to the baking pans.
- Storage: Keep the cooled loaves in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze well-wrapped slices for up to 3 months.