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Pecan Wheat-Berry Bread

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| Servings: 2 loaves

According to Middle Eastern folk tales, the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden was not an apple, but a stalk of wheat with gigantic kernels. Whole-wheat berries are the very hard whole grains of wheat. They will keep stored indefinitely in a cool, dry place. This hearty bread is chewy with the combination of whole grains and sweet pecans. Wheat berries are available in natural foods stores or the bulk section of some supermarkets.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup wheat berries
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast
  • Pinch brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups warm water (105° to 115°)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons oil or unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¾ cup pecans, chopped
  • ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
  • 3 to 3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the wheatberries and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let the berries soak for 1 hour. Return to a boil, immediately reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Add more water if necessary to cover the berries.  Drain and set aside to cool. You should have about ¾ cup.
  2. In a large bowl or the work bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sprinkle the yeast and pinch brown sugar over the warm water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the wheat berries, honey, oil or butter, salt, pecans, and whole-wheat flour. Beat hard with a whisk or the mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the unbleached flour ½ cup at a time until a soft dough is formed that just clears the sides of the bowl, switching to a wooden spoon when necessary if mixing by hand.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and springy, about 3 minutes, adding flour only 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary to prevent sticking. The dough will have a nubby, tacky quality due to the whole grains. Place in a greased deep container, turn once to coat the top, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 ½ hours.
  5. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and divide into 2 equal portions. Form into rectangular loaves and place in greased 8-by-4-inch loaf pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is about 1 inch above the rim of the pan, about 40 minutes. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°.
  6. With a serrated knife, slash the tops no more than 1/4 inch deep. Bake in the pr€eheated oven until brown and hollow sounding when tapped, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the pans immediately and cool on a rack.

Source: Page 67 of Baking Bread – Old and New Traditions by Beth Hensperger

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