A friend gave me this recipe a few months ago and I’ve been dying to give it a try ever since. A few weeks ago, my afternoon clinic was cancelled giving me the perfect opportunity to spend some time in the kitchen. As far as yeast breads go, this recipe is pretty simple. It’s called Cracked Wheat Bread but it calls for bulgur – which isn’t exactly cracked wheat. But let’s not split hairs okay? It’s close enough.
I loved this bread! I’ve been obsessed with bulgur lately anyway but it adds such a wonderful nutty flavor to the bread. It was delicious plain straight from the oven, toasted with a little butter the next day, topped with cookie butter (don’t ask me how I know haha), and I’m sure it would have been delicious as french toast if there had been any left for that! Maybe next time ;).
Cracked Wheat Bread
1 cup boiling water
1 cup quick cooking bulgur (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
1. Combine boiling water, bulgur, brown sugar, butter, and salt in large bowl. Stir to combine and let cool until just warm.
2. In small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve yeast in remaining 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit for ~5 minutes.
3. In bowl of stand mixer with dough hook, combine bulgur mixture, yeast mixture, whole wheat flour, and 1-3/4 cup of the bread flour. Knead on low speed for 5-6 minutes adding remaining flour or an additional 1-2 tbsp warm water until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
4. Place in well oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about an hour and a half. Punch dough down. Let rest 10 minutes.
5. Spray 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Form dough into log and place in prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and center sounds hollow when tapped. If top browns too quickly, cover with aluminum foil. Remove from oven and brush top with butter. Cool in pans for 10-15 minutes before removing to wire racks. Cool completely before slicing.
