Mixed Grain Bread with Raisins

 This is a strongly flavored very dark bread which is delicious. I can eat it by hunks, all by itself, but it's also good with cream cheese, butter, or jam.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup hot strong coffee
  • 1/4 cup bulgar wheat
  • 1 tbs yeast
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 and 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup yellow corn meal
  • 1 cup graham flour
  • 1/2 cup rye flour
  • 1 tbs salt
  • about 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 cup raisins 
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions:

(1) Soak the bulgar wheat in the hot coffee for about an hour
(2) Warm the milk to just hotter than room temp. Mix the bulgar wheat into the milk. Melt the butter. Mix butter into the milk. Add molasses. Mix well.
(3) Add yeast. Mix.
(4) Add corn meal, graham flour, and rye flour. Mix well. Add salt. Mix some more. Add in raisins and walnuts. Mix some more.
(5) Add bread flour a quarter cup at a time, mixing constantly, until the dough comes together. It'll be sticky, but a cohesive dough.
(6) Cover and let rise until doubled -- about an hour and a half, maybe two hours.
(7) Punch down. Dump onto floured board and knead for about five minutes.
(8) Put in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled again.
(9) Butter a cast iron skillet really well. Punch down the dough, shape into a round loaf, and put in skillet. Slash the top in an X. Cover and let rise until doubled.
(10) Meanwhile preheat oven to 375. 
(11) When dough has risen, bake at 375 for 35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when thumped.
(12) Take skillet from oven carefully -- it is very hot. Dump bread onto cooling rack. Cool for about 20 minutes before eating, if you can stand it.

I couldn't wait, clearly


Comments