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DAY ONE.
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Soaker: Mix the first 4 ingredients (7 tablespoons of whole wheat flour, cooked and uncooked grains, salt and buttermilk) to make a thick porridge-like dough.
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Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
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Biga: Mix the next 3 ingredients (1 /4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, 3/4 cup water) to form a ball of dough.
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Knead for a few minutes until all the flour has been incorporated.
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Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again for 1 minute.
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Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
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DAY TWO.
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Remove the biga from the refrigerator an hour or two before preparing the final dough.
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Cut or rip the biga into smaller pieces and mix it with the soaker.
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Add the remaining ingredients (7 tablespoons whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, 3 tablespoons honey or sugar, 1 tablespoon melter butter or oil) WITH THE EXCEPTION of the last 1 cup of whole wheat flour - this will be used later.
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Mix well.
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Knead by hand or machine for about 5 minutes until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
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Add additional flour or water to achieve the proper consistency (a slightly sticky dough that'll hold its shape).
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If you use pre-cooked grains, you will need to add as much as 1 cup of extra flour because the grains will not absorb a great deal of the moisture.
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Place the dough in a greased bowl and allow to rise for about 45 minutes to an hour or until it is 1 1/2 times its original size.
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Shape the dough and place in greased pans for the final rise.
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If you want oats or seeds on top of the loaf, spritz the loaf with water and sprinkle seeds before the final rise.
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While the loaves are rising, pre-heat the oven to 425F.
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To bake the loaf, place it in the preheated oven.
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Reduce the temperature after 5 minutes to 350F and bake for 20 minutes.
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Turn the loaf 180 degrees and bake another 20 to 30 minutes until the loaf is deep brown, makes a hollow sound when tapped on, and when the internal temperature is approximately 195F degrees.
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Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool for at least one hour.
