Peter Reinhart's Struan Bread

This bread is made with a delicious mix of different grains, including wheat, corn meal, oats, bran, and brown rice. 

This multigrain bread, called "struan," was created by my favorite bread baking author and teacher, Peter Reinhart. 

According to Artisan Breads Every Day, this is Peter Reinhart's favorite bread. He says that he publishes a new version of this bread in every new bread book that he writes, including a cinnamon raisin version, a version with flax seeds and wild rice, and a similar version in Bread Baker's Apprentice that uses a soaker instead of the overnight dough. 

The name of the bread comes from Scotland (possibly from a town called Struanmoor). It is referred to as a once-a-year "harvest bread" because it contains whatever grains are available from the harvest from the day before. 

This bread makes wonderful toast and sandwiches, and you can even add some sourdough starter to add a boost of flavor. I can understand why this bread is Peter’s favorite. 

By the way, if you are interested in getting into artisan bread baking, definitely pick up the book. I have not been disappointed in any of the breads in this book that I have tried. It's just amazing how dedicated the author is to fine tuning the bread baking experience. Peter Reinhart has taken many of the recipes that he has published in the past and perfected them. The formulas are pretty foolproof. 

About Peter Reinhart:

Peter Reinhart has written over a dozen books on the subjects of bread and pizza. He's won at least three James Beard awards, as well as the IACP Cookbook of the Year. 

He started his bread baking journey with Brother Juniper's Bakery in Santa Rosa, California. He currently is a fulltime baking instructor at Johnson & Wales University. 

I am the proud owner of six of his books, including Crust and Crumb, Whole Grain Breads, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, Artisan Bread Everyday, American Pie, and Pizza Quest. 

He's the real deal.

Ingredients You Will Need: 

Flours, Grains, and Seeds: Bread flour, corn meal, rolled oats, and cooked brown rice, plus poppy and sesame seeds 

Sweeteners: Brown sugar and honey. 

Pantry Ingredients: Salt and instant yeast. 

Liquids: Milk and water. 

The recipe is flexible. You can substitute multigrain cereals for some or all of the different grains listed here. For the cooked brown rice, the first time I made the bread, I substituted some leftover spiced basmati rice I had made the night before. 

To Make Struan: 

This is an overnight dough, and can actually be refrigerated for up to five days before baking. There is enough dough for two loaves, so you can bake one loaf on one day, and the second loaf a few days later. 

After kneading the dough, let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes, stretching and folding the dough every ten minutes. 

Next, refrigerate the dough overnight and shape it the next day, or within five days. 

Finally, sprinkle the shaped loaves with poppy and sesame seeds and bake. 

Equipment You May Need:

Two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 loaf pans. 

Stand mixer. I use mine all the time. 

Kitchen Scale. You'll wonder how you've baked without one. 

Recipes by Famous Chefs:

International Chef's Day is October 20. We are celebrating our favorite chefs and making recipes inspired by them!

• Bobby Flay Spanish Tortilla from Jen Around the World
• Julia Child's Croissants from That Recipe
• Oeufs Mayonnaise from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Peter Reinhart's Struan from Karen's Kitchen Stories

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Peter Reinhart's Struan Bread

Yield: 32 slices (2 loaves)

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 14 HourTotal time: 15 H & 30 M

This bread is made with a delicious mix of different grains, including wheat, corn meal, oats, bran, and brown rice.

Ingredients

• 22.5 ounces (5 cups) of bread flour
• 1.5 ounces (1/4 cup) of coarsely ground cornmeal
• 1 ounce (1/4 cup) rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons wheat bran
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 cubs lukewarm water (about 95 degrees F)
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• Poppy seeds and sesame seeds to top the bread (optional)

Instructions

Day One

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the seeds in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment for two minutes and then let it rest for five minutes.
2. Mix again on low for two more minutes. The dough should be soft and tacky/sticky. If it's too wet, add a little more flour.
3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, sprinkle it with flour, and knead by hand for about three minutes. If necessary, add flour to prevent sticking. Form the dough into a ball.
4. Reach under the dough with a dough scraper and an with an oiled hand on top, stretch one side of the dough out and fold it over the top of the dough. Repeat on all four "sides" of the dough ball.
5. Form the dough back into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl and allow it to rest, covered, for ten minutes. Repeat three more times, every ten minutes.
6. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator overnight, and up to five days.

Baking Day

1. About two hours before you plan to bake the loaves, take the dough out of the refrigerator and shape into two loaves and place into oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pans.
2. Spray the tops of the loaves with water, then spray oil, and then sprinkle with the seeds. Cover with plastic wrap.
3. Let the dough rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the dough has risen about one inch above the rim of the pan.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, rotating after 20 minutes. The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F or higher.
6. De-pan the loaves and cool on a wire rack, at least one hour.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

101

Fat (grams)

1 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

0 g

Carbs (grams)

21 g

Fiber (grams)

1 g

Net carbs

19 g

Sugar (grams)

3 g

Protein (grams)

3 g

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2013/01/struan-multi-grain-bread.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

struan,

bread

Originally published January, 2013. Updated, October, 2024.