HONEY CRUNCH MULTI-GRAIN BREAD

Honey Crunch Multi-Grain Bread image

Provided by KerfuffleUponWincle

Time 3h35m

Yield 1 loaf, 16 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 cup water (cold, straight from faucet)
3 tablespoons water (cold, straight from faucet)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 large egg (slightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup multi-grain cereal (UNCOOKED Hodgson Mill Multi-Grain Cereal with Milled Flaxseed and Soy, preferred)
2 tablespoons honey crunch wheat germ
3 teaspoons vital wheat gluten
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 tablespoon honey crunch wheat germ (OPTIONAL topping for shaped dough)
2 tablespoons melted butter (OPTIONAL ~ brush on warm baked loaf for soft crust)

Steps:

Place dough ingredients, in order listed, into the bread machine pan, ending with the yeast in one corner, and the salt in another corner.
Select dough cycle on bread maker ~ remove dough from machine after the first rise.
Spray a plastic mat with cooking spray, then plop the dough onto the mat, folding the dough and punching it down ~ then shape the dough into a loaf.
Spray a Pyrex loaf pan with cooking spray; add the loaf and slash the dough a few times if desired.
FOR TOPPING: Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon honey crunch wheat germ on top of shaped and slashed loaf, if desired.
LET DOUGH RISE UNTIL DOUBLED. (Depending upon the temperature of your kitchen, this could take 1 1/2 hours, or more!).
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place Pyrex loaf pan into oven, THEN IMMEDIATELY REDUCE OVEN TO 375F ~.
Bake 20 minutes ~ Tent loosely with aluminum foil, and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, and turn bread onto a wire rack to cool.
Brush top, sides, and bottom of warm loaf with melted butter, if desired for a soft crust.