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Fresh-Milled Mixed-Grain Sandwich Bread Loaf

Oven-bake recipe for loaf using a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 130
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 450 g Fresh-milled flour blend Hard white: 225g, Soft white: 90g, Spelt: 45g, Kamut: 45g, Rye: 45g
  • 13.5 g Vital wheat gluten
  • 332 g Whole milk (warm - 95–105°F) start with 315g, then add ~17g as needed (you can flex this by ±10g depending on feel)
  • 27 g Honey
  • 27 g Butter or neutral oil
  • 9 g Salt
  • 5 g Instant yeast

Equipment

  • 1 9 x 5 inch loaf pan

Method
 

Mill + Measure
  1. Mill grains to make 450g fresh-milled flour. Hard white: 225g, Soft white: 90g, Spelt: 45g, Kamut: 45g, Rye: 45g. Measure all ingredients.
Autolyse (30 min total)
  1. Mix flour + VWG + 315g milk until no dry flour. Cover 15 min.
  2. Add the remaining ~17g milk, fold in. Cover 15 min.
Mix + Knead
  1. Add instant yeast + honey, then add salt, then add softened butter (or oil).
  2. KitchenAid: Speed 1 for 30–60 sec → Speed 2 for ~6–8 min, stopping when dough is cohesive/elastic and looks “fibrous” (don’t chase full windowpane).
Bulk Rise (target 78–82°F)
  1. Lightly oil bowl, cover, and bulk ~45–75 min. Same cues: puffy, ~75–100% bigger, poke slowly fills halfway.
  2. At 30 min into bulk, do 1 set of 4 gentle folds (don’t degas).
Divide + Shape
  1. Pre-shape, rest 10–15 min, then shape a tight sandwich log and place seam-side down in a greased 9×5 pan.
Final Proof (target ~79°F / 78–82°F)
  1. Cover pan (oiled plastic wrap works) and proof ~35–60 min until center is about 1" above rim and poke slowly springs back halfway.
Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Bake 375°F for ~30–38 min (tent with foil after 20 min if browning fast), to 195–205°F internal.
Cool
  1. De-pan after 5–10 min. Cool 90+ min before slicing (slicing early can gum the crumb).
  2. Optional: brush tops with melted butter after baking for a softer crust.

Notes

Why I use Vital Wheat Gluten (VWG) in fresh-milled loaves

Fresh-milled flour includes the whole grain (bran + germ), which is amazing nutritionally but it can weaken gluten structure and make sandwich loaves bake up a little shorter, denser, or more crumbly—especially with multigrain blends. Adding a small amount of vital wheat gluten boosts the dough’s protein and strengthens the gluten network so the loaf can trap more gas during fermentation and rise higher.

Benefits you’ll notice

  • Taller rise + better oven spring (less “heavy” loaf)
  • Softer, fluffier crumb that still slices cleanly
  • Better structure for add-ins and multigrain blends (less tearing)
  • Improved sliceability (great for sandwiches + toast)
  • More consistent results when your grains vary batch to batch

How much I use

I typically use 2–3% of total flour weight.
Example: for 450g flour, that’s 9–14g VWG (this loaf uses 13.5g, right in the sweet spot).

Quick note

VWG isn’t “required”—it’s just a tool. If you skip it, expect a slightly more rustic, tighter crumb (still delicious).