Well now I think this is what they call just showing off.

I’ve baked a loaf of multi-seed bread before, but this one is prettier, tastier, and seedier than ever before! The crust is absolutely killer, thanks to my trusty dutch oven, and the recipe is as easy as pie. Easier than pie, actually.

In order to make my no-knead breads, you’ll need to acquire a few handy kitchen tools. First and most importantly, a kitchen scale is your best friend when it comes to precise and repeatable baking results. I use an inexpensive digital model that has served me well through three years and two moves — I’d definitely recommend this one!

Once your ingredients are measured and your dough has risen, you’ll need to knead it. This is an awfully sticky prospect when it comes to almost-no-knead dough, which relies on a high moisture content for its deliciously chewy texture. My OXO dough scraper has a comfy grip and works great for unsticking the dough from the cutting board.

To keep the loaf from sticking to my dutch oven while baking, I always cut out a circle of parchment paper. The dough rises on the paper, and then I can easily pick it up and plop it into the dutch oven for baking. When the loaf is done, it slides right off the parchment like magic. It’s great to have a roll of parchment around for other baking projects, too.

Lastly, I always use a probe thermometer to monitor my loaf for doneness. This takes all the guesswork out of baking, and since the thermometer is connected to a display, that sits outside the oven, you can stick it in your loaf of bread and set the timer to beep when it comes up to temperature.These are great for roasting meat, too — if you’re making a Thanksgiving Turkey it’s a great tool to have around.

And now, with all that out of the way, let me tell you about my latest delicious creation! With half whole wheat flour and lots of seeds, this is a hearty bread. It’s not leaden or dense, though, just full of nutritious poppy, sesame, hemp and sunflower seeds, and it gets a boost of flavor from a whole bottle of San Francisco’s best Anchor Steam beer.  Bring this to a potluck and I guarantee you’ll make a few new best friends.

Four Seed Almost-No-Knead Boule

9 oz. baker’s choice unbleached flour
9 oz. high protein whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tbsp. organic cane sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
3/8 tsp. active dry yeast
1 (12 oz.) Anchor Steam beer (or your favorite local brew)
1 1/4 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/4 C. sesame seeds
1/4 C. poppy seeds
1/4 C. hemp seeds
1/4 C. sunflower seeds

1. In a large glass mixing bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt and yeast and stir until evenly mixed.

2. Add the beer, and vinegar. Using a wooden spoon, stir until all the flour is absorbed and dough forms a shaggy ball.

3. Cover the bowl loosely with a plastic bag and let sit for 15 hours.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, and wash the mixing bowl. Cut out a 10″ circle of parchment paper.

5. Sprinkle all of the seeds over the dough. Knead the dough about 20 times, folding in the seeds evenly and shaping it into a round loaf. Place the loaf in the middle of the parchment paper. Cover the dough with your mixing bowl and let rise for 2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 500F with the dutch oven inside. Sprinkle the loaf with flour. Using a razor blade at a 35-degree angle to the dough, make a pattern of 1/3 ” deep vertical and horizontal slashes on top, five in each direction.

7. When oven reaches temperature, remove the dutch oven and carefully place the loaf inside, still on the parchment paper. Cover with lid.

8. Put the dutch oven back in the oven, lower heat to 425F and cook for 30 minutes.

9. Remove the dutch oven again, remove the lid, insert a remote thermometer into the middle of the loaf, and place the dutch oven back in the oven, uncovered. Cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the loaf’s internal temperature reaches 205F.

10. Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack and scoot the parchment paper out from under it. Cool for at least an hour before cutting.