Dough
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) boiling water
3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) Artisan Bread topping
3 1/2 cups (14 7/8 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces)buttermilk powder
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) non-diastatic malt powder or brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) oil or butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Topping
Quick Shine(tm) OR 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Artisan Bread toppping, or your favorite combination of seeds

Mix together the boiling water and grain blend, and cool to lukewarm. Combine it with all of the remaining dough ingredients and mix, then knead--by hand, mixer or bread machine, about 8 minutes--to form a smooth, soft dough, adding additional water or flour as necessary. Allow the dough to rise, covered, until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Divide the dough, and roll it into three 14-inch logs. Braid the logs on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet; use parchment if you’re planning to bake directly on an oven stone, as you can easily transfer the loaf, parchment and all, to the stone.

Spray the loaf with Quick Shine(tm), or brush it with the egg white, then sprinkle it heavily with seeds. Allow the braid to rise, covered (a proof cover works well here) for about 45 minutes, until it’s quite puffy looking.

Bake the bread in a preheated 400°F oven--directly on an oven stone, if possible--for 28 to 35 minutes, until it’s golden brown and its interior temperature is 195°F or higher. Remove the loaf from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Yield: 1 large braid, about 20 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (1 slice, 49g): 110 cal, 2g fat, 4g protein, 21g total carbohydrate, 1g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 180mg sodium.