Millet Buckwheat Toasting Bread
Adapted from a recipe by Ellen Brown
I have been a home bread baker for many years, and despite a Celiac diagnosis in 2017 I continue to experiment with different recipes, always looking for that gluten free loaf that will make me smile.
This hearty toasting bread is made with whole grains and seeds that give it great texture. It is full of flavor, fiber and nutrition, a welcome change from typical gluten free store breads made with refined flour.
The recipe is somewhat involved, but I break it down into small steps that are easy to follow. The ingredients are bulleted, so you can easily look all the way through and see what you need. I also provide a complete ingredient checklist at the end of the recipe, which can be used as a shopping list.
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You might be interested to know that I used a grain mill [1] in this recipe. I like to buy millet [2] and buckwheat [3] in whole form and mill them at home when I need flour. Since this bread contains millet and buckwheat in both whole and flour form, I only need to stock the grain.
This recipe has been adapted to make 1 loaf.
*Contains Oats – see notes
Step 1 Mill (see Notes at bottom)
Mill the following grains on the finest setting. You may have to add in a few more grams of each to end up with the finished weight in flour. If you don’t have a grain mill [4] don’t worry! Just measure the exact weight in millet and buckwheat flour.
- 120 g. millet
- 45 g. buckwheat
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Step 2 Soak
Boil water. Add the following whole grains (not flour), cover and remove from heat. Soak for at least 10 minutes or until you are ready with the other ingredients.
- ¼ cup whole millet
- ¼ cup whole buckwheat
- ¾ cup boiling water
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Step 3 Proof
Grind Chia seeds in a coffee grinder. Combine with the following in a small bowl and proof for 10 minutes.
- 1 tbsp. Chia seeds, ground
- 2-¼ tsp. Instant yeast
- 6 tbsp. Warm water
- 2 tsp. Honey
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Step 4 Whisk together Dry Ingredients
- Milled flours from Step 1
- 45 g. cornstarch
- 65 g. potato starch
- 47 g. tapioca starch
- 32 g. gluten free cornmeal
- ½ tsp. Xanthan gum
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 2 tbsp. Sesame seeds
- ¼ cup gluten free rolled oats *(omit if avoiding oats – see notes)
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Step 5 Whisk together Wet Ingredients
- Soaked grains from Step 2, drained and rinsed in cool water (so it doesn’t kill the yeast)
- Proofed yeast mixture from Step 3
- ¼ cup honey
- 100 ml. Warm water (about 6 tbsp.)
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Step 6 Combine
Combine wet (Step 5) and dry (Step 4) ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes.
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Step 7 Rise
Scrape dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.
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Step 8 Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. Water
- 2 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp. Sunflower seeds
Line a 9” loaf pan with parchment. I’m using a 9″x 4″x 4″ Pullman loaf pan [5]. Transfer the risen dough into the prepared pan and smooth it out with a spatula that has been dipped in water. Beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp. warm water and brush the top of the loaf (you won’t need the entire egg, so reserve the rest for breakfast). Sprinkle the loaf generously with pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
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Step 9 Bake
Preheat the oven to 375°. Set a pizza stone on the middle oven rack and place a rimmed baking pan on the bottom rack. Place the loaf in the oven and pour 1 cup of water into the rimmed baking pan to create steam. Quickly close the door and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 195°. Crack the oven door about 1″ during the last 5 minutes of baking, to keep the loaf from deflating.
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Step 10 Cool
This is the hardest part of the recipe! Lift the loaf out of the pan by grasping the parchment paper on either side. Transfer to a rack and remove the parchment. Allow the loaf to cool to room temperature before slicing. It smells so good you won’t want to wait. Do it though, or the bread may be gummy in the middle.
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Step 11 Enjoy
This bread was made for toasting! It is my favorite breakfast bread and I especially love when the seeds get singed in the toaster. As with most gluten free breads it is best when eaten immediately. I always freeze the leftovers in slices that are individually wrapped and stored in a freezer safe bag. So easy to grab one for breakfast in the morning!
FULL INGREDIENT LIST / SHOPPING LIST —> PRINT IT! Millet Buckwheat Toasting Bread Shopping List [6]
☐ ¼ cup whole millet
☐ ¼ cup whole buckwheat
☐ ¾ cup boiling water
☐ 2-¼ tsp. Instant yeast
☐ 1 tbsp. Chia seeds, ground
☐ 6 tbsp. Warm water
☐ 2 tsp. Honey
☐ 120 g. millet flour
☐ 45 g. buckwheat flour
☐ 45 g. cornstarch
☐ 65 g. potato starch
☐ 47 g. tapioca starch
☐ 32 g. gluten free cornmeal
☐ ½ tsp. Xanthan gum
☐ ½ tsp. Salt
☐ 2 tbsp. Sesame seeds
☐ ¼ cup certified gluten free rolled oats
☐ ¼ cup honey
☐ 6 tbsp. warm water
☐ 1 egg (for the egg wash)
☐ 1 tbsp. Water
☐ 2 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds
☐ 2 tbsp. Sunflower seeds
Notes ♪♫
Oats continue to be highly controversial when it comes to celiac disease. Whether or not you consume oats is a personal choice. As a courtesy to my readers, I will identify any recipes that include oats and suggest ingredient substitutes when possible.
Read more about how I use my grain mill [4] in gluten free baking. I stock many grains in whole form, then mill them into flour in just the amount I need for a recipe. The whole grains will remain fresher in my pantry and there is nothing like freshly milled flour for baking bread. If you do not have a grain mill, then simply measure the equivalent weight in flour.