Whole Grain and Seeded Sandwich Loaf

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the oats and seeds

   Put the rolled oats, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir once and leave it alone for at least 30 minutes, until the mixture is thick, sticky, and no warmer than your hand. This step matters more than it looks: dry seeds and oats will pull water out of your dough as it rises and leave you with a tight, dry crumb, so you want them fully swollen before they go anywhere near the flour.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the whole wheat flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt. Add the cooled soaker along with the warm water, honey, and olive oil. Mix with a dough whisk or the dough hook on low until no dry flour remains, then let it sit for 15 minutes. This rest lets the bran soften, which makes the dough far less fussy to knead.

3. 3

   Knead

   Knead on medium-low for 7 to 8 minutes in the mixer, or 10 to 12 minutes by hand on a lightly oiled counter. You're after a dough that's smooth and springy between the seeds — it will never pass a perfect windowpane test with this much bran in it, but it should pull back when you poke it and feel tacky rather than sloppy. If it's sticking to everything after 5 minutes of kneading, work in another tablespoon of bread flour, and if it feels stiff, add water a teaspoon at a time.

4. 4

   First rise

   Shape the dough into a ball, set it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise somewhere warm until roughly doubled, 60 to 90 minutes. Whole grain doughs can look deceptively sluggish, so judge by volume rather than the clock.

5. 5

   Shape the loaf

   Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Turn the dough out and press it into a rough rectangle about 9 inches wide, pressing out the big bubbles. Roll it up snugly from the short end, pinching the seam closed as you go, and set it seam-side down in the pan. A tight roll here is what gives you an even crumb instead of a big tunnel under the crust.

6. 6

   Second rise and top

   Cover loosely and let it rise until the dough crowns about an inch above the rim of the pan, 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower third. Beat the egg with the water and brush it gently over the risen loaf, then scatter the mixed seeds across the top — keep these seeds dry and unsoaked, since that's exactly what makes them toast up crunchy.

7. 7

   Bake

   Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 195°F. If the top is browning faster than the inside is cooking, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Cool completely

   Turn the loaf out onto a rack right away so the bottom doesn't steam and go soggy. Let it cool all the way, at least 2 hours, before you slice. Cutting a whole grain loaf while it's warm gums up the knife and squashes the crumb you just worked for.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Toast the topping seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes before using them if you want a deeper, nuttier flavor — just cool them first so they don't melt the egg wash.

• 2.

  The soaker can be made the night before and left covered on the counter. It actually improves the flavor and makes the morning bake much quicker.

• 3.

  If your kitchen runs cold, set the rising bowl inside your oven with just the light on. Whole grain doughs are noticeably slower below about 68°F.

• 4.

  Swap the seeds freely as long as you keep the total weight close to the same. Pumpkin, poppy, chia, and hemp all work well in the soaker.

• 5.

  Don't be tempted to go all whole wheat. The bread flour is doing the structural work that keeps this loaf tall and soft enough for sandwiches.

Equipment

• 9x5-inch loaf pan
• Large mixing bowl or stand mixer with dough hook
• Heatproof bowl for the soaker
• Instant-read thermometer
• Pastry brush
• Wire cooling rack

Storage