I love bread. The smell of freshly baked bread is like a drug to me.The smells lures me into each and every bakery I pass by. I'm not going to lie and say I don't buy bread. I do. Most of the time I'm buying the smallest one I can find if I'm intrigued by the ingredients. I just want a bite, so I know how it tastes in order to make it at home. I don't know about your area, but here, the smallest bread they sell it's still pretty big but while I was in Romania on my vacation I was in bread paradise. There they sells small rolls and almost each day I'd go and pick a couple different combos. Seeds, no seeds, multigrain, cereals, rye, pumpkin, cheese - so many to choose from. Of course I had a bite of each and every one of them. I can't say which one was my favorite, all had that little something that makes you come back for more. My biggest challenge was to recreate rolls that use only whole wheat. If you've been baking with whole wheat before you know the breads are a little heavier and dense compared with those using all-purpose/bread flour. I knew there has to be a secret ingredient that made the whole wheat bread fluffy, just didn't know what that might be.
Now, after a couple of weeks of trial and error I'm happy to announce I've conquered the whole wheat bread! The secret my friends is called commercial dough enhancer! I was a little skeptic at first. Didn't know what to expect. Now, that I've used it I think it's a good product to have around. It makes your dough more elastic giving the bread a better volume, keeps it soft longer and it doesn't make lots of crumbs when slicing. They say you can use the dough enhancer in white breads and even cakes, brownies or muffins. I haven't tried that yet, so I can't tell if it's true or not.
To make these, you have to measure your seeds first. I used quinoa (yellow, red and black), amaranth, flax seeds, chia seeds, poppy seeds and sesame seeds
In a sauce pan add the 3 types of quinoa, the amaranth seeds and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and mix in the flax seeds, chia seeds, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Let it cool completely.
Once cooled start making the dough. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and wait until it bubbles. Add to the yeast mixture the cooled seeds, olive oil, agave nectar, salt and dough enhancer. Slowly mix in the whole wheat flour.
Knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic and it comes clean from the sides of your stand up mixer. Place it into a greased bowl and let it rest, covered, for about an hour. It should double in volume.
Roll the risen dough into a rectangle and place it on a baking sheet. Cut it into smaller rectangles.
Let it rest again for about 30 minutes while you let your over get hot. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Multiseed pillows
*adapted from Naturally Ella
Ingredients
1/4 cup yellow quinoa 1/4 cup red quinoa 1/4 cup black quinoa 1/4 cup amaranth 1 tsp salt 2 cups water
2 tsp dry yeast 1 cup water 1/2 c olive oil 2 tbsp. agave nectar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sough enhancer 4 c whole wheat flour
Directions
Measure the seeds. In a sauce pan add the quinoa seeds (can be used only one color if you don't have 3), amaranth seeds, 1 tsp salt and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until all the water is absorbed. Stir in the rest of the seeds (Flax seeds, chia seeds, poppy seeds and sesame seeds) and let it cool completely. In your stand up mixer bowl add 1 cup lukewarm water and 2 tsp dry yeast. Stir and let the yeast dissolve. Shortly couple of bubbles will appear. Now add the seeds mixture, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp agave nectar, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp dough enhancer. With the dough hook on start mixing slowly adding the whole wheat flour. Knead until the dough is elastic and comes clean from the sides of the bowl. Take the dough out and place it into a oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 1 hour. It should double in volume. Take the dough out and roll it into a rectangle on a baking sheet. Cut it into small rectangles and let it rest again for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 375F. Bake the pillows for 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!