Hearty Seven-Grain Oat-Crusted Bread

1. Prepare Cereal Mix

Begin by combining the seven-grain hot cereal mix with boiling water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let this mixture sit for about an hour until it cools to 100°F. This step allows the cereal to soften and become a thick porridge-like base for your dough.

2. Mix Dough Ingredients

Once your cereal mixture has cooled, add the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, honey, melted butter, and yeast to the bowl. Using the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer, mix the ingredients on a low speed for about 1.5 to 2 minutes, until they come together into a shaggy dough. Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes; this rest period helps the flour absorb the water and makes the dough easier to knead.

3. Knead Dough

After resting, add the salt and continue to knead the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle in a little more all-purpose flour as needed. Then, add the pumpkin or sunflower seeds and knead for an additional 15 seconds to evenly distribute them. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until it has doubled in size.

4. Shape Dough

Once the dough has risen, divide it in half and shape each portion into a 9x6-inch rectangle. Roll each rectangle into a tight cylinder, pinching the seams to seal. Place the shaped dough into two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.

5. Prepare Loaves for Baking

Lightly spray the tops of the loaves with water or vegetable oil spray and sprinkle them with the oats, gently pressing them to adhere. Cover the loaves loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 to 40 minutes, until they have risen slightly above the edges of the pans.

6. Bake and Cool

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake the loaves for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are golden brown and register 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Cool the loaves in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.