In a large mixing bowl: 1 cup multi-grain cereal (5 grain or 7 grain – get at Bulk Barn or Bob’s Red Mill) Pour over the cereal – 4 cups of boiling water Stir and let stand for about 25 minutes until lukewarm (before you add yeast) or if you have an instant thermometer – temp should be between 105F-115F.
In a small bowl: 1 cup lukewarm water 1 tsp. sugar Mix well and add 4 ½ tsp. active dry yeast. Let it stand for 10 minutes – don’t add it to the cereal mixture until it has reached lukewarm temperature or it will kill the yeast. (If you are using instant yeast – no need to do the above. Just add all your yeast directly into the lukewarm cereal and add the 1 cup of lukewarm water and the tsp of sugar as well – since you will be missing that liquid if you don’t use active dry yeast).
In another bowl measure out the following: 9 cups all purpose flour Set aside.
In your cereal mix which is lukewarm – add 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil or olive oil, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, and 3 tsp. table salt. Stir well and add the yeast mixture. (or if you’re using the instant yeast that you’ve sprinkled into the lukewarm cereal mix – also add the lukewarm water and tsp of sugar that you would have used had you used active dry yeast).
Slowly start adding the flour – 2 cups at a time and mix well and keep adding the flour until you can’t mix very well – and turn out on floured surface and keep kneading the bread until it is all incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes.
Remove plastic wrap – and knead for another 5 minutes. Put in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap (loosely) and let it rise for 1 hour.
The bread is fine as it is but if you want to have a seed mixture on the top and bottom of the loaf – prepare the seed mixture now:
Seed Mixture: 4 tsp. sesame seeds 4 tsp. flax seeds 4 tsp. poppy seeds Mix together and set aside.
When dough has raised for the hour – remove from pan onto a lightly floured surface. If making into loaves – grease three 9x5 inch loaf pans and sprinkle some seed mixture into the pans. Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces and form into a loaf and lay into the seeded loaf pans. Don’t sprinkle seeds over top at this point. Let raise for 45 minutes. If you want seeds on the top – ever so gently use a pastry brush and gently brush with a tiny bit of water and then sprinkle the seeds over top of each loaf.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Check at about the 20 minute mark and if you find the bread is brown enough on the top – drape some foil over the tops and continue to bake for the remaining 15 minutes.
Variation: You can make free-form loaves whatever size you like – and place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet – or you can make into rolls. Also you can add ½ cup chopped cranberries and or ½ cup chopped raw pumpkin seeds and put mix right into the dough.