Application Guide

MULTIGRAIN BREADS
All around the world, grains of every type are used to make bread. There are the cereal
grains—grains that are part A of the grass family—the most common of which are
wheat, rice, maize, and barley. There are also many regionally grown grains used in the
staple foods of that area, such as sorghum, teff, and millets in West Africa, ragi in
India, and African rice, a cousin of Asian rice. There are wild cereals that are consid-
ered a delicacy, such as wild teff, drinn, panic grass, and jungle rice.
Grains all have the same basic yet sophisticated structure. Each grain
is a tiny dry fruit that contains a single seed capable of reproducing itself. An inedible,
hard outer shell called the hull protects the seed. The seed is surrounded by a layer of
starchy carbohydrates designed to feed a developing embryo. The embryo, or germ,
contains a concentration of micronutrients, fat, and proteins. It is rich in vitamins E, A,
and B-complex, calcium, and iron.
Mixed grain combinations and cereal breads are very popular in
America; some bakers would never consider making any other kind of bread. In addi-
tion to all the grains you can individually add to a bread, commercial breakfast cereal
blends can also be used, such as Roman Meal, Cream of Rye, Wheatena, Cream of
Wheat (farina), Quaker multigrain cereal, Muesli, and six-, eight-, nine-, and ten-grain
blends that are varying combinations of wheat, rye, barley, triticale, corn, oats, flax,
millet, brown rice, wheat germ, wheat bran, and soy grits in varying proportions.
The following recipes call for all sorts of flours and grains. The
breads they create are packed with protein and nutrition. When making whole-grain
breads, you will always end up with a more substantial, dense loaf than a white flour
loaf. Since these doughs are heavy, make sure they are mixing thoroughly in the bread
pan. Store these breads in the refrigerator, and to serve, slice with a serrated or electric
knife.
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