There are no preservatives in this bread so it needs to be refrigerated or frozen. Due to its earthy texture and moist consistency, it is best enjoyed toasted. Delicious with real butter or raw peanut butter.
For my ingredients, I choose organic where possible but not necessary. I also prefer to use organic extra virgin coconut oil instead of vegetable oil or butter. This recipe is derived by me from a culmination of experimentation with various other recipes and sprouting tips from internet sources, real and imagined. You will need a loaf pan, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 gives you a nice full loaf. The grains, wheat berries, are available at some grocery chains under the brand name Bob's Red Mill and at most health food stores in bulk. Bob's Red Mill is about $5 for 2 pounds and bulk is about $1 a pound, organic. You can try Whole Foods or Wegman's, too. Vital wheat gluten available at most grocery stores in baking aisle. Recipe can be doubled.
Ingredients
3 cups hard red or white winter wheat berries or mixed
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use only sea salt)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar (I use honey)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup raw seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, flax (optional but excellent, I mix it up)
vegetable or coconut oil and butter, minimum amounts
1. Forty-eight hours before you want to make the bread, take 3 cups of grains and cover with water. Allow to soak for 12-18 hours. Water should rise about 2 inches over grains.
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| 6 cups hard red wheat berries soaking |
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| draining in colander |
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| early sprouts w tails |
3. Dump the grains (about 4 1/2 cups or more by now) into food processor and work into a fine pulp without generating too much heat...about 3 minutes on and off. A meat grinder works better if you have one and does not generate heat.
4. In a bowl, mix by hand or dough hook mixer (i.e. KitchenAid) sprout pulp, vital wheat gluten, salt, yeast, honey or agave, 1/4 of water or more as needed, and seeds. By hand, stir or knead manually with wet hands for about 3 minutes until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. With mixer, start on slow speed for first minute and speed up for next 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl and adding more water as needed. A sticky doughy ball should form.
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| sunflower seed loaf |
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| pumpkin seed loaf |
5. Wet work surface and place ball down and knead for 1-2 minutes with wet hands. Ball should have strength and feel of normal bread dough. Form into a ball, pinching openings and let rest for five minutes. Lightly coat a bowl with vegetable or coconut oil.
6. Knead dough again for a minute with wet hands to strengthen it and form into a ball. Transfer to bowl and roll the ball to coat all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in area free of draft or warm area like microwave or oven turned off for 45-60 minutes until it has risen to about 1 1/2 times original size.
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| first rise |
7. Lightly coat a loaf pan with butter or coconut oil. Transfer ball to pan and mush down, kneading it gently to fit in pan. Cover loosely with wrap and let sit again, 45-60 minutes. It will rise again to about 1 1/2 times original size.
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| prior to second rise |
8. Preheat empty oven to 425ยบ. Place loaf in oven and bake 45-55 minutes, rotating loaf 180 degrees after thirty minutes. Let cool for at least an hour before slicing.
9. Enjoy.
12.03.2010
