Soggy Bottom Bread

I've decided to take back control of life, at least in those few areas where it might be possible. So on Sundays I sit down and try to make a plan for the coming week: meals, activities, goals, scheduled events. Last Sunday getting ahead of the game inspired a cooking frenzy - it helped that I didn't have to cook dinner (woe to live down the street from a pizza shop). I toasted grains for baby cereal, baked bread (!), simmered apricots and cooked lentils (more baby food).

The bread part required the most inspiration (and motivation). It was the 5th loaf of bread (4th variation) I've ever made (not including sweet breads - I know, shameful) and I wanted to try a new recipe. I'm on the hunt for the perfect whole wheat or whole grain, everyday bread recipe.  I'm going to try to keep track of the different breads I make here so I can remember what's good.

I tried no-knead bread once - it was too dense and overall unimpressive.  Then I made some Boston Brown Bread (recipe isn't online, but from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Vegetarian Planet).  Yummy, gooey, warm...but not your everyday bread.  All the while I knew there were some serious bread recipes (the type that are 5 pages long and riddled with information I don't have the time to care about) in my really crunchy, all-natural cookbooks, like the elephant in the room, just waiting for me to give in and give 'em a try.  When I finally did take a close look at Cynthia Lair's whole grain bread recipes, I was amazed at how simple they were. They just required time and proper planning, and of course I've got oodles of that....HA!  But I digress...I made the Garlic Herb Quinoa bread and loved it so much I made two loaves the next time around. I would have made that one again, but I figured I should expand my repertoire.  I searched online for a few hours, and finally went back to my kitchen bookshelf and pulled out the trusty old King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion, and settled on 100% Whole Wheat Bread.  YUM! 

This week I tried yet another bread recipe: Cracker Wheat Walnut Cider Loaf.  This one came from a friend, so I have no link to share.  And it probably would have turned out great, had I not decided to screw with the recipe.  You see, I had no cracker wheat, so I substituted Farro from the farmer's market.  And I had no cider, so I used apple juice instead.  I also tried "kneading" the dough in my stand mixer, but it was so wet and sticky it just wouldn't come together. In the end, the loaf ballooned out of its loaf pan and came out with a soggy bottom. But it still tasted divine...

Cooling upside down because the heavy top threatened to squish the soggy bottom.

 Burnt top. Soggy bottom. Yummy tummy.

Cracker Wheat Walnut Cider Loaf

3/4 c cracker wheat
1 c boiling water
1 1/2 c walnuts
1 1/4 c apple cider
1 1/2 t yeast
2 T honey (or subs)
1 c whole wheat flour
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 c canola oil

Place cracked wheat in a small bowl and cover with boiling water, stir and let wheat absorb water (About 10 min.)

Toast walnuts and chop coarsely.  Warm up apple cider and add to bowl with yeast and honey.  Let sit till yeast foams, then add rest of ingredients except nuts.  Mix and knead dough about 10 minutes then add walnuts and knead until evenly distributed.  Transfer to an oiled bowl and let rise (double in size), punch it down and form into loaf shape.  Let rise again, about 1 hour.
 

Preheat oven to 385, dust top with extra tablespoon of whole wheat flour and slash top.  Bake about 50 min until nicely browned and sounds hollow.