Multi-Seed Sandwich Bread

This soft and cottony bread is loaded with many kind of seeds, super healthy and so tasty.

– Do you remember the post about no-knead multi-seed sourdough bread?

Well, this is pretty much using similar ingredients…without the sourdough starter but with the water roux.

– What is the texture of this multi-seed bread?

It is amazingly soft, so soft that you cannot even tell that is a healthy bread loaded with seeds. This is because I used the tangzhong or water roux method to make this bread.

– How the bread taste?

The bread is super aromatic due to the combination of seeds, especially the black and the white sesame seed.

– Want to learn more about tangzhong or water roux method of bread making?

Please check this post about starch gelatinization.

– Ready to have your hands on the dough?

Ingredients:

Tangzhong or water roux

50 g bread flour
250 g water

Multi-seed bread dough

450 g bread flour
100 g whole wheat flour
30 g flaxseed meal
140 g water
8 g salt
8 g vital wheat gluten
8 g yeast
60 g brown sugar
20 g poppy seeds
30 g flaxseeds
30 g chia seeds soaked in 70 g water for about ½ hour
50 g toasted sesame seed (black and white)
30 g hemp seeds
55 g butter

Method:

Tangzhong or water roux

Whisk together the water and the flour until the mixture is well blended and free of lumps.

Stir the mixture while it cooks over the medium heat to reach 65^oC/149 – 150^oF. It takes about 2-3 minutes.

Continue whisking until the mixture starts to thicken. The mixture of flour will have “lines”.

Remove from the heat.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plastic film to avoid “skin” from forming.

Ready to add to the bread dough once is cool.

Tangzhong or water roux can bend kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Multi-seed bread dough

In the mixer, add all the water roux, all the flours and flaxseed meal, chia seeds except for the other dry seeds and butter.

Turn the machine and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until a uniform very wet and sticky dough.

Add the remaining seeds and increase the speed to “2” and let it mix for 15 minutes. The dough should be still somehow sticky. Do not add extra flour as the dough will be less sticky as gluten forms.

Add the butter and mix for 10 to 12 minutes more. Take a small portion of the dough (like a golf ball) and stretch gently until a very thin and transparent membrane (windowpane) and you can see light through it.

If the dough tears mix for another 2-3 minutes until the dough pass the windowpane test. demonstrating that the gluten is very well developed, and it will create a very light crumb. The dough should be very elastic.

Remove the dough from the mixer and place in a bowl by covering with a plastic film.

Let dough proof until the dough tripled to its original size.

Knock back the dough and split the dough into two large balls and each large ball into 4 smaller balls. Flatten the small balls making sure that the air is removed, fold into thirds and then roll it like a Swiss roll.

Place the Swiss rolls into a bread pan and let it rise until triple of its original size.

Bake in a preheated 350^oF oven for approximately 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the bread cool on a wire rack. Slice according to your like.

– If you enjoy this recipe of multi-seed sandwich bread, you might to check on these other bread recipes…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

Flaxseed Meal Sandwich Bread

This is such a great everyday sandwich bread for you and your family…it is a much healthier version of your white bread. This Asian inspired bread recipe is cottony soft, feathery crumbs and stays fresh for many days.

We love bread…period…no matter what we cannot stay away from it, so in order to indulge without feeling guilty, this is the healthy version that is a must try…the bread is so soft, cotton like, fluffy, airy and feather like crumb that if it was not for the title stating “flaxmeal” you would not even know that such a thing is part of the bread. Okay, you can see a bit of the flaxmeal speckles, but I can guarantee you that it does not jeopardize the texture of it…

Like many of my bread recipes, I use the tangzhong or water roux method, so the bread stays fresh and soft for many day

– What is tangzhong or water roux method?

This method was originally developed in Japan and now days is very popular in Asian bakery. The technique is basically a mix of flour and water cooked at 65^oC (149 F) to make a pudding like paste, which is added to the remaining bread dough ingredients.

– Why using tangzhong method in baking will keep your bread fresh?

The pudding like paste added to the bread dough will allow you to add more water to the final dough as compared to traditional method, therefore it will increase the hydration of the dough. The gelatinized flour will not only increase the hydration but will also retain the moisture and the development of gluten.

– Can I use tangzhong in all my bread recipes?

Absolutelly, just substitute portion of the flour in the recipe to make tangzhong, usually between 15 to 30% of the total dough weight. Another way to approach is to use approximately 10% of the total flour weight to make the tangzhong.

Okay, enough of the science behind the tangzhong or water roux method…let’s get to the recipe!

The recipe I am sharing today will make 2 loaves, and to achieve perfect square loaves I baked them in USA Pullman Pan with lid.

Ingredients:

Water roux or tangzhong

50g bread flour
250 ml water

Flaxseed Meal dough

450 g bread flour
50 g whole wheat flour
50 g flaxseed meal
70 g sugar
7 g salt
7 g yeast
7 g vital gluten
30 g dry nonfat milk
100 ml water
70 g Earth Balance or butter (room temperature)

Method:

Water roux or Tangzhong

In a small pan, mix all the ingredients of water roux, place in a low heat and stir constantly until the temperature reach 65^oC (149 F), or if you do not have a thermometer, cook until ripples form. Set aside to cool by covering with a plastic film. Please see here for more detail.

Flaxseed meal dough

Place the cooled water roux and all the ingredients listed under flaxseed meal dough into a mixer except for the Earth Balance or butter. Mix until all the ingredients are together, it will slightly sticky. Make sure to stop the mixer and scrap the sides of the bowl, do not assume that the mixer will do all the job.

Increase the speed to number 2 and continue to mix for 5 minutes.

Add the butter and continue the mixing until the dough is smooth and comes out of the mixing bowl, this will take approximately 15 minutes. You will notice that the dough will no longer be sticky.

Make sure to do the windowpane test. If does not pass, mix for another 2-3 minutes until the dough reaches the windowpane stage.

Once the dough reaches the windowpane stage, place it into a medium to large bowl. Cover and let it proof until the size triple from the original size.

Now it is time to shape the dough…

Knock back the dough and split into approximately 8 little balls (approximately 138 g each) and let it rest for 5 minutes on the counter.

Flatten the ball making sure that the air is removed and fold into thirds, then roll it like a Swiss roll.

Place the Swiss rolls into the Pullman (4 each) pan and let it rise until triple of its original size.

Cover the pan and bake in a preheated oven of 350^oF for approximately 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip the bread into a wire rack to cool. Slice according to your like.

Store the bread in an airtight container.

– More Asian inspired bread recipes? Please check these out…

Did you flaxseed Is a good source of fiber? Moreover, flaxseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acid and phytochemicals. Studies have shown that flaxseed can lower blood cholesterol and LDL (the bad, low-density lipoprotein), therefore reducing risks of cardiovascular disease. Apparently the flaxseed in a form of meal is better digested than the whole flaxseed this way you will get all the benefits of it.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

Carrot Cake with Avocado Oil and Flaxseed

This is a healthy recipe for carrot cake based on the traditional one using flaxseed meal and avocado oil. It is so good that you will not be able to tell that all these ingredients are hidden in the cake.

We love carrot cake, especially when there is a layer of cream cheese frosting…a thin layer of cream cheese frosting is all we need, this way it will not take all the credit from the carrot cake.

Well, this recipe has a few “healthy” ingredients without compromising the taste and the texture of the cake…avocado oil and flaxseed meal.

Like all the carrot cakes, this is a pretty simple and straight forward recipe. I always like to have this cake available in the freezer, and usually in small individual serving. It is great to be able to enjoy a slice of carrot cake whenever we feel like. This is a great and simple recipe than can be made way ahead of time. It is so nice to have a slice of homemade carrot cake whenever you feel like, especially during holidays when unannounced friends and family drop by for a quick visit you can easily defrost and serve the carrot cake with a cup of coffee or tea…so comforting!

Ingredients:

Carrot Cake

2 extra large eggs (approximately 144 g)
100 g sugar
50 g brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50 g butter, melted
100 g avocado oil
110 g all-purpose flour
20 g flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch all-spice, ground
½ lb grated carrot, 220 g
½ cup diced/chopped toasted pecan, 60g
4 oz crushed pineapple, drained, all the liquid squeezed, 120 g

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup confectioner’s sugar

Method:

Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium bowl shift together flour, flaxseed meal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, all-spice and cinnamon.

In the mixing bowl blend together avocado oil, butter and the sugars. Add the eggs one at the time beating well until blended.

Add the flour mixture to the oil and egg batter. Mix until all the flour is well incorporated.

Fold in the batter the carrot, pineapple and the nuts.
Pour the batter into 8 x8 inch square pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake completely before spreading the cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese with the butter and the vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Add the confectionary sugar to the mixture, until all the sugar is well incorporated to the cream.

Spread a layer of the cream cheese on the carrot cake.

Refrigerate and serve. I cut the cake into small pieces and stored in the freezer. When ready to serve just let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for ½ hour.

Now…tell me if you can resist this…

I hope you enjoy this easy and simple carrot cake recipe…for more dessert recipes, please check HERE.

Did you know that avocado oil has a very high smoke point? Due to the high smoke point avocado oil is good to use in frying food. The slightly greenish color of the avocado oil is due to high levels of chlorophylls and carotenoid.