This is a favorite recipe that I got from Than’s mom. These rolls are hearty but soft, and so delicious especially when eaten warm on the day they were baked. They also freeze pretty well, though, so you can stash some away for later.
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Cracked Wheat Rolls
Hearty, nutty dinner rolls with lots of good grains
Instructions
Pour 1 cup boiling water into a glass mixing cup. Stir in cracked wheat set aside to soften.
Mix 3/4 cup warm water, sugar, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk well and allow to sit about 5 minutes or until foamy.
Blend in salt, egg, and oil. Add softened cracked wheat along with any additional water in the cup.
Mix in 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour. If you've been using a different attachment, switch to the dough hook at this point.
Add 1 more cup of all-purpose flour and 1 more cup of whole wheat flour or other ground grain (flax, rye, wheat germ). Knead in mixer until well combined.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise to the top of the bowl, about 1 hour.
After dough has risen, gently knead it back down with oiled hands. Allow dough to rise once more if you have time. (This second rise is optional).
With oiled hands, separate out portions of the risen dough and shape into rolls of desired size and shape. Place on greased cookie sheets.
Allow rolls to rise once more after shaping. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake rolls at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until they begin to brown. Don't overcook!
This is my go-to recipe when I need bread for dinner tonight. (See “Dutch Oven Easy Bread” for an easier recipe that can be made the night before.) I made these for Christmas gifts one year, giving a little jar of fancy olive oil and vinegar for dipping along with each one. I use a mixture of grains for added texture and flavor, but you can easily leave any of them out and stick with just white flour if you wish.
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Crusty Baguettes
Ingredients
- 2 cups very warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast (one packet)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3-4 cups flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2-3 cups white)
- 1/4 cup flax meal (optional, or just use additional flour)
- 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional, or just use additional flour)
- 1/4 cup wheat bran (optional, or just use additional flour)
Ingredients
- 2 cups very warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast (one packet)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3-4 cups flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2-3 cups white)
- 1/4 cup flax meal (optional, or just use additional flour)
- 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional, or just use additional flour)
- 1/4 cup wheat bran (optional, or just use additional flour)
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Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set the bowl on top of your preheating oven for ten minutes.
Stir in the salt and add the flour a half-cup at a time, until the dough becomes soft but not sticky. Knead the dough until elastic.
Cut the dough into four even pieces. Roll each of them to form four long, thin ropes. Twist together two of the ropes to form one loaf. Twist the other two ropes together to form a second loaf. Transfer both onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
You can now bake the loaves right away (if you’re in a hurry) or allow it to rise for an additional 15-30 minutes on top of your warm oven.
Fill a large bowl with 3-4 cups of ice. Open your hot oven and place the baking sheet with the baguettes inside. (Alternately, you can use a baking stone. Have the stone in the oven preheating. Put the loaves on parchment paper and use the baking sheet to transfer them from the counter to the hot stone in the oven.) After the bread is in the oven, toss the ice cubes on the bottom of the oven and quickly shut the door. Do NOT open your oven for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.
Serve fresh and hot with your favorite olive oil for dipping.
This is my go-to bread recipe, the one that turns soup and salad into a full meal deal. The only hard part is remembering to get it started the night before. You can’t make it the day you need it!
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Dutch Oven Easy Bread
A coarse-textured crusty loaf that is fun to customize with different mix-ins
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (can use 2 cups white and 1 cup wheat)
- 1/4 cup flax meal (optional)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp yeast
- 1 1/2 cups water (warm, cold, doesn't matter)
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (can use 2 cups white and 1 cup wheat)
- 1/4 cup flax meal (optional)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp yeast
- 1 1/2 cups water (warm, cold, doesn't matter)
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Instructions
Combine all ingredients in mixer bowl and mix well. (A wooden spoon will mix it, or use the paddle attachment). Add water or flour as needed to get a dough that is a thick, sticky, shaggy mess. If you want to mix in any special ingredients, do it now.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Don't skimp on the "sitting" time.
When you are ready to bake, place a cast iron pot with a lid into the cold oven on the middle rack. Turn the oven on to 450 degrees and let the pot preheat for at least 30 minutes.
When the pot is really hot, take it out of the oven and carefully scrape the sticky dough into the hot pot. A wooden spoon works great for this. The dough should sizzle as it hits the pan. Cover the pot with the hot lid and return it to the oven.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and tip the bread out of the pot. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing into thick slices. I usually cut most of my slices in half before serving, because they end up pretty wide in the middle.
This recipe can be increased by half (e.g. 4.5 cups of flour) and it will still fit in my cast iron pot. A double batch is too big, though.