Medjool Date Whole Wheat Bread with Cracked Wheat

This bread has an interesting combination: medjool date provides a hint of natural  sweetness, whole wheat flour and cracked wheat add more nutritional values and anise seeds give the bread an unique aroma.

                 

Ingredients to make one 13x4x4 loaf:

Day one:

Preferment:
132g all purpose flour
43g whole wheat flour
111g water

½ tsp instant yeast

Mix all the above ingredients. Cover and let it sit in room temp overnight.

Soaker:
83g water
83g cracked wheat, toasted in a skillet until slightly browned

Mix water and cracked wheat. Cover and let it sit overnight.

Day two:

Main Dough:
207g whole wheat flour
119g all purpose flour
1 tsp instant yeast
223g water
25g sugar
25g unsalted room temp butter
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
10g salt
100g dried date, pitted
1½ tsp anise seed, toasted in a skillet until lightly browned
All of the preferment and soaker

1) Mix and knead all the ingredients together for the final dough, by hand or stand mixer. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
2) Let it rise in a warm spot until it is at least one and a half times of its size.

3) Shape and put in an oiled loaf pan and let it rise again at least one and a half times of its size. Or almost to the rim of the pan.

4) Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 45 mins.

Oatmeal Bread (No Knead Method) 燕麥麵包(免揉)

"Most bread produced in factory bakeries in the industrialized world is made without the critical step of fermentation.....Dough conditioners, flavorings, processing aids, gums, fats and additives are used in an attempt to save one precious thing, TIME....They mix, shape, and bake a loaf in less than an hour. A baker using traditional methods and actual fermentation may take up to 72 hours."  by Martin Philip, head baker of King Arthur Flour, "Breaking Bread" (emphasis added).

Molasses Oats Bread 燕麥麵包

Molasses is a thick and sticky by-product of the sugar refining process. It is more nutritious than granulated sugar because it contains iron, vitamin B, calcium, and magnesium. Usually unsulfured molasses is used in baking or other cooking recipes. Avoid blackstrap, which can make the baked goods bitter. Oats are a common breakfast staple. Besides using it to make oat meal, it is widely used in baking such as bread, cookies, granola, etc. The molasses lend the bread a sweet flavor, moist crumb, and crunchy crust, and the oats compliment the bread by giving it a hearty texture. It is great toasted and spread with butter or used as sandwich bread.