Dakota Bread

Here's a bread with a little bit of everything. Named after a state known for growing grains, Dakota Bread calls for bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye, wheat germ, oats and lots of seeds. You can use pumpkin seeds, sesame, soaked flax or a combination of all of them, which is what I did here.

Make one big round loaf or two smaller rounds. Once completely cool, the bread is sturdy enough for sandwiches, but also soft. That is, not so dense and crumbly that it falls apart.

My favorite way to bake this so far is in a Dutch. Here' a picture of the dough during the second rise. I just lined the mixing bowl with parchment paper and put the shaped dough in it. This made it easy to lift and place right in the Dutch oven.

Dakota Bread can also be baked at 350 (so as not to burn the seeds) on a baking sheet or even in a pie plate. If making two smaller loaves, you can just put them both on a very large baking sheet and give them plenty of room to rise.

More Notes and Tips

This bread is pretty flexible. I've never made it without the dough hook, but I imagine results will be different because you'll need to add more flour to knead properly. I recommend using a dough hook.

• I've only tested with active dry yeast, but quick yeast should be fine.
• Any kind of cottage cheese should work. The point of heating it is just to take the chill off from the fridge. Same with the eggs. I just mix everything together in the saucepan and heat gently before adding to the yeast.
• I've been using 260 grams of King Arthur bread flour. With all-purpose flour, you'll most likely need a bit more since KA is very strong and absorbent.
• If using all-purpose, you might need to add vital wheat gluten. The King Arthur bread flour has enough protein to help support the other flours.
• I've not yet tested with discard, but it's on my list for the next loaf.
• The two small loaves are also a pretty good size and the slices are big enough for smaller sandwiches.
• This bread freezes very well.
• Flax seeds are a great addition! They're not necessary, but if you have some try soaking 2 tablespoons in a little hot water, draining, and adding to the dough before the second rise.

Recipe

Dakota Bread

Anna

Seeded bread made with bread flour, rye flour, wheat germ and oats.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Rising Time 2 hours hrs

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

 

• ½ cup warm water
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ½ cup cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey (40 grams)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (25 grams)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other oil)
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt (Morton kosher)
• 2 cups bread flour plus more if needed (270 grams)
• ½ cup whole-wheat flour (65 grams)
• ½ cup rye flour (65 grams)
• ¼ cup wheat germ, toasted
• ¼ cup oats (20 grams)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Coating

• 1 large egg white lightly beaten
• 2 T. pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Instructions

 

• Combine yeast and warm water (110 to 115 degrees) in a stand mixer bowl and let proof for about 5 minutes.
• Mix the cottage cheese, honey, sugar, egg, oil and salt together in a saucepan and warm gently just to remove any chill, then add to the mixing bowl with the proofed yeast.
• Add 2 cups of bread flour. Set the bowl on the mixer stand and beat with either the paddle or the dough hook for 2 minutes. Add the whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, rye flour and oats.
• Knead dough with dough hook for about 8 minutes, stopping to scrape sides as needed, until smooth and elastic, adding additional bread flour if needed. The dough should cling to the hook. It may still stick to the sides a bit, but will snap off and be easy to handle.
• Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise for one hour or until doubled in bulk. Alternatively, you can just scrape the dough into the center of the stand mixer bowl, cover and let rise.
• Punch dough down. Shape into one round loaf and place on a piece of parchment paper or shape into two rounds.
• Cover with greased plastic wrap and let dough rise again for about 45 minutes. Don't overproof it.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven along with a Dutch oven to 400 degrees F. If baking without a Dutch oven, preheat to 350F.
• Brush the risen loaf or loaves with egg white and sprinkle outside with pumpkin seeds and whatever other seeds you feel like using.
• Remove Dutch oven from oven and lift the parchment paper with the loaf up and into the hot Dutch oven. Close. If using a baking sheet and making two loaves, give them plenty of space, but they should both fit on one large sheet.
• For the Dutch oven, bake covered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake at 350F for 15 to 18 minutes. If baking without Dutch oven, bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Internal temperature should be between 200 and 205. The seeds should not burn, but you can check occasionally and shield with foil if your seeds are browning.
• Let cool completely before slicing for sturdier bread. If you cut it while warm it will be soft and less sturdy.

Keyword Dakota Bread, Dutch Oven Bread, Seed Bread

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