Prairie Seed Artisan Bread
Using my no-knead method to keep it as simple and approachable as possible, this recipe will produce a loaf that’s deliciously hearty and sweet with a soft, chewy crumb and a perfectly golden, crunchy crust. A simple overnight bake made with pantry ingredients, it’s deliciously satisfying, packed with additional plant-based protein and you will LOVE that crunchy topping!NOTE: This recipe has been updated to include an additional step in which the dough is cold proofed in the refrigerator prior to baking.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups water, room temperature (at or near 70°F/21°C)
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1¾ teaspoons kosher or fine sea salt
Topping
- 1 tablespoon old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together honey or maple syrup and water. Sprinkle yeast across the top and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flaxseed, sesame seeds and salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Add yeast mixture to the bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix just until combined. If you find the dough to be too dry, add a little more water a teaspoon at a time (usually 1 teaspoon is enough, two at most). The dough should be thick and look a little shaggy and there should still be a little flour around the edges of the bowl.
- Cover and let rise somewhere warm (see note below) until it has doubled in size, about 8-10 hours.
- Once the dough has doubled in volume, use your hands (or a dough scraper if you have one) to pull the dough out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, gently fold the dough into itself several times until a soft, flour-covered ball is formed. Seam side up, lift and place it into a flour dusted proofing bowl like this one. Dust with flour, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or as long as 24 hours. You can even leave it for as long as 48 hours at this point if you’re not able to bake it right away.
- When you're ready to bake your bread, preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC) with a Dutch oven or covered baking vessel inside the oven.
- Uncover then invert the bowl to turn the dough out onto parchment paper seam side down. If needed, gently turn it with your hands and nudge it into the shape of a loaf. Brush dough lightly with a little filtered water and sprinkle remaining oats and seeds across the surface of your loaf, pressing them into the dough as you go so they hold. Score the top with a razor blade or the tip of a sharp knife with a design of your choosing. This will allow steam to escape while it’s baking.
- Once the oven is preheated, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and transfer the dough, still on the parchment, into the Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 40 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for 15-20 minutes more. Your bread will be done once the top is browned, and it sounds hollow when you tap the top.
- Using parchment edges, lift bread from Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to let cool for up to an hour before slicing.
Notes
Seeds: If you don’t have or don’t enjoy the seeds I’ve used in this recipe, poppy seeds and hemp seeds would be delicious alternatives.
Rise time and temperature: An ambient rise temperature somewhere between ~70º-75º/20º-23ºC is ideal but even high 60's/18º-19ºC should work if the dough is kept away from drafts. Note that rise times can vary based on temperature, environment and ingredients used. You will know your loaf is ready to bake when it has doubled in size, and this can take a minimum of 2-3 hours or as long as a full day. With a little experimentation, you will find the time frame that works best for you.
Keep it covered for the first 40 minutes of baking: Holding in the moisture at this point is key to developing the crispy crust.
Storage: This bread will store well on the counter for 2-3 days and in the refrigerator for up to a week. Sliced bread will freeze well for up to 3 months.