Multigrain Bread | Five-Seed Whole-Wheat Loaf

Combine the five seeds in a bowl. Pour boiling water over them, stir, and cover. Use boiling water because warm water is not hot enough to soften the outer layers of the flax and oats. By the end of the soaking time, no free water should remain; the seeds should have absorbed it all.

Once the gluten has developed, pour the soaked seeds over the dough and fold them in from the edges, distributing them through the dough in no more than 2 minutes. The seeds may not be perfectly evenly distributed, and that is fine; overworking the dough damages its membrane structure. Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Fold the edges toward the center to shape it into a long loaf, then place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, dampen the top and press it into a handful of seeds. Cover and leave it for the final rise.

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F and place a pan of water on the lower rack. Use a razor blade to make three diagonal slashes across the loaf, then bake for 45 minutes. The bread is done when the crust is dark brown and tapping the bottom produces a hollow sound. Cool completely on a wire rack.