Whole-Wheat Flax Bread

Preparation

1. Grind flaxseeds into a coarse meal in a spice mill (such as a clean coffee grinder) or dry blender. Set aside 2 teaspoons for topping.
2. Stir lukewarm water and honey in a large bowl until the honey is dissolved. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand until it bubbles, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup bread flour (or all-purpose flour), pumpernickel (or rye) flour, salt and the remaining ground flaxseeds. With a wooden spoon, stir vigorously in the same direction until the batter is smooth. Gradually stir in whole-wheat flour until it becomes too difficult to stir. (Alternatively, mix dough in a stand-up mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.)
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding only enough of the remaining bread flour (or all-purpose flour) to keep it from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. (The dough will be slightly sticky.)
5. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl. Turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Punch the dough down, flatten into a disk and tightly roll into a log. Place seam-side down in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray; let rise until the dough domes over the top of the pan, about 45 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly brush the loaf with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the reserved 2 teaspoons ground flaxseed.
8. Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue baking until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Store flaxseed in the refrigerator or freezer. Flaxseed is available from King Arthur Flour or in health-food stores.
• Ingredient note: Milled from high-protein wheats, bread flour develops strong gluten when kneaded, resulting in well-risen loaves. It is generally recommended for bread machines and is valuable when making breads with a high percentage of whole-wheat flour.
• Note: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour.

Nutrition