Overnight Seed Bread

No knead, overnight rise on the counter, bake & eat!!! This is so simple even a bread novice can make it! Mix it up in the evening & bake in the morning, or mix it up before you leave in the morning & bake it up in the evening *** see below in regard to prep time

From Marthastewart.com, the recipe is No-Knead Seeded Overnight Bread  this bread has a wonderful airy texture & crunchy crust. it is very hearty so 1 piece is good enough but 2 is fine too!

*** The total time for this bread to be complete is 15 1/2 – 21 1/2 hours, so plan your time. You will need to be around 2 hours after you mix the dough to put it on the counter. Then 12 – 18 hours later the dough will have to be put into a pot & left to rise again for another 1 1/2 hours. Then baked for approx 1 hour. Most of the time this bread dough is just left alone but you should be aware of when  you will have to ‘work’ with it when you are deciding to make it.

The only ingredient that I do not usually have on hand is bread flour so I had to go get that. The seeds are pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, poppy seeds & sesame seeds, which I always have. If you don’t have all of those or are allergic to any, I am sure this bread would be just as good without that particular type of seed. I always have whole wheat flour in the pantry but I must have used it all & didn’t write it down to remember to buy some more,  so I made this particular loaf with white flour. I prefer it with the whole wheat flour but this loaf is still delicious. The texture isn’t any different then when I make this seed bread with whole wheat flour but the colour is different.

This bread is vegan except for the egg wash on top of the dough. The egg wash is put on before the last rise, then seeds are sprinkled on top. I didn’t use the egg & just sprinkled the seeds on, pushed them on a bit to get them to adhere to the dough & it worked perfectly.

Since there are only 2 of us in the house now, we would not eat the whole loaf in a couple of days, so I slice it & put the slices into a ziplock bag & freeze them. Pop a piece in the toaster & it is like fresh!

Here is the recipe

Seed Bread

Ingredients

3 cups & 3 tbsp whole wheat flour, these 3 tbsp of flour are divided into 2 tbsp & 1 tbsp *** I used unbleached white flour for this loaf so you will see in the pictures the bread is white

2 cups unbleached bread flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/4 tsp quick-rising yeast

1/4 cup & 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, ****set aside the 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds for the top of the dough before baking

3 tbsp flax seeds, divided 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp     **** put the 1 tbsp of flaxseeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds into a small bowl & set aside..these are for the top of the bread before it gets baked

3 tbsp poppy seeds, divided 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp..****set this aside for the top of the dough before you bake the bread

3 tbsp sesame seeds, divided 2 tbsp +1 tbsp, ****set this aside with the poppy seeds …for the top of the dough before you will bake it

1/4 cup honey

2 1/2 cups cold water

olive oil for drizzling the dough with

1 egg white, whisked   ***optional

Method

1. In a large bowl, stir the 3 cups of whole wheat flour ( reserve the 3 tbsp of whole wheat flour…this is for dusting the pot you will cook the bread in & putting 1 tbsp on the bread dough before baking)   bread flour, oats, yeast, salt , 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, the 2 tbsp of flaxseed, poppy-seed & sesame seed together.
2. Whisk the honey & water together in a bowl or measuring cup. Add this to the flour mixture. Stir until completely combined & there isn’t any dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl. I use my hands to finish mixing this together
3. Once completely combined, drizzle a thin layer of oil over the top of the dough, spread it around to completely cover the top of the dough
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & put in the refrigerator for 2 hours
5. After 2 hours, remove the bowl of bread dough from the refrigerator & put onto the kitchen counter & let rise at room temperature 12 to 18 hours
6. Prepare an ovenproof pot to bake your bread in. I use a soup pot. Oil the inside of the pot & then sprinkle with 2 tbsp of whole wheat flour to coat all the entire surface of the pot
7. After the dough has risen for 12 – 18 hours, stir the dough to deflate it.
8. Form the dough into a ball & put it into the prepared pot
9. Sprinkle the dough with the reserved 1 tbsp whole wheat flour & smooth it into the dough with your hands.
10. If using the egg white, brush the top of the loaf with the egg white
11. Sprinkle the reserved flaxseed, poppy-seed & sesame seeds over the top of the loaf. ***If you haven’t used the egg white & there is a lot of flour on top the loaf & you don’t think the seeds will stick…moisten the top with a drip of water then put the seeds on
12. Using a sharp knife, cut an X in the top of the dough.
13. Cover the pot & let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours *** I used the proof setting in my oven…
14. Preheat your oven to 475 f with the rack in the lower third of the oven
15. When the dough has risen & the oven is hot, uncover the pot & sprinkle the dough lightly with water
16. Cover the pot with an oven proof lid & put it into the oven.
17. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 450f
18. Bake the bread until it is brown approximately 45 minutes
19. Remove the lid & continue baking the bread for another 15 minutes *** my loaf was getting too brown so I took it out after 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
20. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

    Keep the loaf wrapped & it stays at room temperature for up to 3 days

    Enjoy!