Cracked Wheat Bread

This recipe is healthy-ish. I say -ish because it uses both cracked wheat (healthy!) and all-purpose flour (not so much). In any case, I really love this recipe. It is one of my favorites for wheat bread. The texture is great (due to the all-purpose flour), and the taste is spot-on. It has a light sweetness and hint of nuttiness from the wheat.

Cracked wheat is whole wheat that has been coarsely ground (similar to the texture of steel-cut oats). It is often cooked and eaten as a hot breakfast cereal (also like steel-cut oats). If you want to health-it-up a notch, you can substitute whole wheat flour for half of the flour amount. Your bread will be a bit denser, though.

Cracked Wheat Bread 
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

3 ½ cups water
1 cup cracked wheat
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter
½ cup honey
2 packages yeast
6-8 cups flour, divided
2 eggs

Add cracked wheat to water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Add salt, butter, and honey. Cool to 110 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast and 3 cups of flour. Add cracked wheat mixture and eggs. Using the dough hook, mix for about 5 minutes on low speed. Gradually add more flour to form a dough that clings to the dough hook, but not the sides of the bowl. It can still stick to the bottom, though. Let the mixer knead the dough for a couple of minutes, then remove from the bowl and knead by hand.

Let rise in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. When doubled in size, remove from bowl. Gently form into 2 loaves, and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise again.

Bake at 350º for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy life by eating a warm slice with butter and jam. Repeat as necessary.