Whenever I go into a bakery or bagel store I am always drawn to the bread loaded with seeds. I love those big round loaves and the combination of whole grain with toasted seeds. Naturally I looked for the perfect recipe to create this bread at home. When this recipe for Dakota Bread appeared in Cooks Country, it was immediately on my baking list. Sure enough, it’s amazing and just as good as any high-priced bakery bread. This rustic loaf is hearty and delicious!
Did you know, Dakota bread was created for the celebration of North Dakota’s 100th anniversary of statehood. Since it is chock-full of whole-wheat and rye flours, plus barley, oats, sunflower seeds, and more- it’s represents the state’s bountiful harvest. Mmm . . . what a great way to celebrate!
Before you start worrying about how many types of flour you’re going to need to buy, that need is eliminated by using a seven-grain hot cereal mix to provide the multigrain base. It’s really quite simple to put together and the result is a big, beautiful loaf of the best-smelling, best-tasting bread ever. Don’t be surprised if you find your family hanging in the kitchen waiting for this baby to come out of the oven!
Dakota Bread
Makes one 10-inch round loaf
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups seven-grain hot cereal mix (I used Bobs Red Mill)*
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
3 tablespoons raw, unsalted pepitas
3 tablespoons raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Grease large bowl. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In bowl of stand mixer, combine water, cereal, honey, and oil and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Add flour, salt, and yeast to cereal mixture. Fit stand mixer with dough hook and knead on low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, 4 to 6 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons pepitas and 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds to dough and knead for 1 minute longer. Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter and knead until seeds are evenly distributed, about 2 minutes. (Note: Iif the dough is still sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl after 2 minutes, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 3 tablespoons.)
3. Transfer dough to greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size and fingertip depression in dough springs back slowly, 60 to 90 minutes.
4. Gently press down on center of dough to deflate. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and shape into tight round ball. Place dough on prepared sheet. Cover dough loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
5. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lowest positions and heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon pepitas, remaining 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds in small bowl. Using sharp knife, make ¼-inch-deep cross, 5 inches long, on top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg and sprinkle seed mixture evenly over top.
6. Place 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan on lowest oven rack and fill with 1 cup boiling water. Place baking sheet with dough on upper-middle rack and reduce oven to 375 degrees. Bake until crust is dark brown and bread registers 200 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer loaf to wire rack and let cool.* Be sure to use hot cereal mix, not boxed cold breakfast cereals, which may also be labeled “seven-grain.”
Oh this is my favorite bread! I would love to be able to make it at home. Can’t wait!
This looks fabulous!
I’ve never heard of it before, but this bread looks wonderful!
I have made this bread 2 times and it is absolutely delicious. I just wish I new calorie count and nutritional analysis.
Can you help here in lreland we don’t have the seed mix you suggest would you please list which seeds l need to buy besides the pepitas etc. already mentioned. Many thanks looking forward to trying this recipe. Slan leat! From lreland
Sandra – the cereal is a mix of whole grain wheat, barley, oats, oat bran, rye, brown rice and flax seed. I think if you were to substitute a combination of some different whole grain flours you would get a tasty bread!
Made this yesterday. Used bobs red mill 5 grain cereal, couldn’t find 7grain. Super easy to put together using a stand mixer. Bread flattened out quite a bit and was much larger than I thought it would be. Tried some this morning….DELICIOUS!!!! love love love the texture and taste. Will go great with the beef stew we’re making for dinner tonight.
This was fantastic!
I made one minor alteration, I used the Bob’s 5-grain cereal, and exchanged 1/4 cup of cereal for cornmeal (just to get more grains in the mix). I also baked it on a baking sheet covered in cornmeal to get a crusty bottom.
I think it’s one of my favorite breads now. I’m going to try again a few times, gradually increasing the multigrain cereal and reducing the white flour by 1/4-1/2 cup to make it heartier and healthier.
Also, and this could have been a side-effect of the cornmeal amendment, the dough spread out wider and didn’t raise quite as high as I would’ve liked. Next time, I’m splitting into two loaf pans.
Thanks for sharing!
I made this bread today and it is phenomenal! I also used Bob’s 5-grain cereal and the multigrains yield a hearty texture without being too dense. I divided the dough into 2 smaller loafs and they turned out to be a nice size. I appreciate the given internal temperature… a sured way to avoid a doughy center. Thanks!