Cracked Grain Cereal Bread

Cracked Grain Cereal Bread
for the Bosch Universal

Makes 6 Loaves

recipe may be halved for kneading by hand or when using another mixer

• 2 cups cracked grain cereal mix
• 1 cup cold filtered water + 4 cups boiling filtered water (for soaking the cracked grains)
• 2 cups warm filtered water (for the sponge)
• 15-1/2 cups+ whole wheat flour (preferably fresh ground, hard white wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons SAF yeast
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons raw agave syrup or raw honey
• 1/3 cup poppy seeds (optional)

In mixing bowl, whisk together cracked grain cereal mix with 1 cup of cold water. While stirring to prevent lumps, slowly pour in the 4 cups of boiling water. Cover bowl with both lids (lock in place) and allow to sit undisturbed for 30 minutes to an hour, until cereal is thickened considerably and cooled down to comfortably warm. Turn on mixer briefly to incorporate all ingredients. Remove lids.

To the mixing bowl, add the 2 cups of warm filtered water, 5 cups of the whole wheat flour, and all the yeast. Turn on to speed 1 intermittently, to mix until just blended. Cover bowl with both lids (lock in place) and allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes, until bubbly and doubled in size. This is the sponge.

Remove inner lid. Punch down by briefly turning on mixer to Speed 1. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, agave or honey, and poppy seeds. Put on inner lid. Begin mixing on Speed 1. Stopping mixer and removing lid for each addition, add 8 to 9 cups more more whole wheat flour, 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, until dough feels springy, but not gooey. Increase to Speed 2. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, with both lids on. The dough to be soft and springy after the kneading is complete. Overkneading or underkneading will result in tougher dough, so begin checking for springy-ness at about 7-1/2 minutes and every 30 seconds thereafter until you feel the dough is nice and soft.

Transfer dough to a large, greased stainless steel bowl. Rotate dough around so it gets coated on all sides, top and bottom, with the oil in the bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm (but turned off) oven*. Let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Punch down dough. Divide into 5 portions (for extra-large loaves) or 6 portions (for regular loaves). Shape loaves and place in oiled loaf pans. Cut into top of each loaf 3 or 4 times diagonally with a sharp knife. Put pans in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 30 minutes, or until dough has swelled to fill the pans and rise above the tops by 1 or 2 inches. While loaves are rising, preheat oven on to 350 degrees. (A good place for the loaves to rise is next to the burner that vents the oven heat — not on the stovetop, but on the counter next to it). When loaves have risen and oven is preheated, transfer pans to the oven and bake the loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned and the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Turn loaves out onto cooling racks. When just cooled, put in bread bags. Set one out for immediate use and freeze the rest.

*To warm oven, turn on to 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn off. Open the oven door and let most of the heat out, until the oven is left comfortably warm.

© Copyright 2007 by Wardeh Harmon