Harvest Wheat Bread
1/4 cup (1 3/8 ounces) cracked wheat
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) boiling water
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) olive oil
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons instant yeast
Combine the cracked wheat and boiling water in the pan of your bread machine, and let the wheat soften for 30 minutes.
Place the remaining ingredients into the pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Program the machine for the basic cycle, and press Start.
Check the dough's consistency about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle, adding additional water or flour to form a soft, smooth ball of dough. Allow the machine to complete its cycle. Cool the bread completely before serving. Yield: one loaf.
Note: To bake bread in the oven, program your machine for the dough or manual cycle. When the cycle is complete, remove the dough, and place it in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan. Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers about 190°F. Remove the bread from the oven, turn it out of the pan, and let it cool on a wire rack.
This recipe reprinted from The Baker's Catalogue, Spring through Summer 2001.
Reviews
04/28/2009
I've made this a few times now and think it's delicious and foolproof. After the first time using the bread machine with the loaf rising especially high, I have now baked in the oven. In today's version, I kneaded in my Kitchenaid mixer, used canola oil instead of olive oil, and 1 c. each white wheat, 100% wheat, and white bread flour. Delicious, soft, and chewey with the cracked wheat and sunflower seeds!
04/16/2009
Quite nice - although I switched wheat/white percentages - used 2 cups whole wheat and 1 cup white. Sesame seeds are fine, but may not use them next time. I don't own a bread machine, but it still worked fine - rose quite well. I ran out of gluten before I came to the full measure. The two rises were pretty slow. I kneaded for 20+ minutes. Will make again.
02/04/2009
I made the dough for this recipe in my bread machine but baked the loaf in my oven. In general, I was quite pleased since the recipe contains all my favorite ingredients. The bread was quite tasty, especially toasted lightly and buttered with Beurremont butter and a touch of honey. I followed the recipe using KAF products and made 2 changes only. I used honey instead of sugar and added 1/4 cup of Bakers Milk. The loaf came out high but a bit gnarly and somewhat dry and light but it was still lovely. I will make it again but may reduce my oven heat to 325 and use a metal baking pan. I used a Fire King loaf pan and had to cut my baking time down to 25 minutes. It is a very nice recipe and I enjoyed my toast this morning!
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