Seeded Whole Wheat Bread

This is one of the most amazing bread recipes I have found. It is definitely my favorite. I have made it many times. I grew up on fresh bread. My father was baker so it wasn't uncommon for us to have fresh bread available. I knew it was a good recipe when my father asked me for the recipe. This recipe can also be found at gardengirlrecipes.com.

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Ingredients:
preferment:

1 cup (125g) bread flour

½ cup warm water

¼ teaspoon active dry or instant yeast

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final dough:

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons honey

1½ cups warm water, divided

1 cup old fashions oats

3 tablespoons ground flax

1½ cups (188g) wheat flour

1¼ cups (231g) bread flour, plus more for kneading

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup mixed pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black and or white sesame seeds and flax seeds

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the preferment together, cover, and allow to ripen at room temperature overnight. It will double in size.

In another small bowl, combine ¼ cup of warm water, the yeast, and honey. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.

Combine 1¼ cup of warm water with the oats and ground flax. Allow this mixture to sit 5 minutes.

Combine the yeast mixture, the oats mixture, and the preferment in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add the flours and salt. Using the dough hook, mix the dough on medium speed for 4-6 minutes. If the dough seems extremely sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour at a time.

Add 4 tablespoons of the mixed seeds and mix until combined.

Knead the dough for a few minutes, shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm area for 1½ to 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a 5-quart, or larger, cast iron dutch oven with a tight fitting lid in the center of the rack.

Knead the dough a few times with your hands on a floured work surface and form into an oval or circle shape (I divided the dough in half and make two loafs). Place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and rise another 30 minutes.

Brush the dough with the beaten egg and coat with the remaining mixed seeds.

Using a sharp knife, make a small slit down the center of the loaf. Remove the hot dutch oven from the oven and remove the lid. Pick the dough up by the parchment paper and lift it into the dutch oven.

Place the hot lid back on the pot and return to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375°F, remove the hot lid, and bake for another 15 minutes. Carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.