Sourdough Shredded Wheat Oatmeal Barley Bread
Submitted by dachshundlady on May 12, 2011 at 6:57 am

I created this recipe in an attempt to get a bread with a lower glycemic index. Sourdough helps in that department as do whole grains like whole wheat, oatmeal and barley.

THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Refresh your sourdough. I use Paddy's Buttermilk Sourdough and the morning consistency is like thick pancake batter.

Heat 2 1/2 cups milk and add
3 large shredded wheat bales
1/3 cup wheat germ (optional)
2 cups whole wheat flour (I use white whole wheat)

Mix well and leave covered on counter overnight. The milk helps dull the sharp edges of the whole wheat and helps reduce its bitterness.

NEXT MORNING:
Add 1 cup sourdough starter to wheat mixture along with
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 scant Tablespoon instant yeast
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. KAF Whole Grain Bread Improver (optional)
Let sit, covered, 20-30 minutes

Add:
1/4 cup oil
1 Table salt
1 cup barley flour
2-3 cups bread flour

Mix in bowl, adding bread flour gradually until it forms a ball. Put on floured surface and knead 8 minutes, adding as much bread flour as necessary so that it is tacky buy not sticky.

Let rise 60-90 minutes depending on your kitchen temperature.

Punch down and form into either 2 loaves or, as in my picture, 4 sharing loaves. Use well buttered pans.
Let rise 30 minutes until dough is 1 inch above rim of pan. Preheat oven to 350. Bake 45-50 minutes, tenting with foil after 25 or 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack. If making sharing loaves, let cool before splitting apart.