Four-Grain Batter Bread

Ingredients

• 4 ½ to 4 ¾ 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 (4 ½ 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 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal.

Instructions

1. 1Prepare two 8x4-inch loaf pans by greasing the bottoms and sides with shortening or cooking spray, then dust them with cornmeal. In a large mixing bowl, combine three and a half cups of the all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast.
2. 2Warm the milk and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the liquid reaches 120°F to 130°F. Pour the warm liquid into the dry flour mixture.
3. 3Blend the mixture on low speed with an electric mixer until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for three minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. 4Fold in the whole wheat flour, wheat germ, oats, and just enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to form a stiff batter. Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
5. 5Dust your hands with a little flour and gently pat the tops of the batter to round them out. Sprinkle a light layer of cornmeal over the top of each loaf.
6. 6Drape plastic wrap loosely over the pans and set them in a warm spot to rise. Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes, or until it reaches about one inch below the rim of the pans.
7. 7Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the loaves for roughly 25 minutes until the tops turn a light golden brown.
8. 8Take the baked bread out of the pans and transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

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