Cracked Wheat Sourdough Bread
Recipe By : Jack Dickson
Serving Size : 24

This is the main bread at our house. It can be made without the sourdough but I think it is much better with it.

1/2 cup cracked wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup sourdough starter (proofed for 8 hrs.)*
1/2 cup milk, skim
1/2 cup flax seed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw
1 1/2 cups flour, whole-grain wheat
3 cups all-purpose flour

* the night before, in a medium bowl, add 1 cup warm water and 1 1/2 cups flour to your starter; mix well, cover and set in a draft free location for proofing. (dont' forget to return 1 cup of proofed batter to your original starter)

Cook the cracked wheat in the boiling water about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until all the water is absorbed. Dissolve the yeast in the 1/3 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl and let proof. Stir the butter, salt, molasses, honey, milk, flax seed and sunflower seed into the cooked cracked wheat. Cool to lukewarm and add to sour dough starter, mix well and add to the yeast mixture. With a large wooden spoon start stirring in the flours, 1 cup at a time, beginning with the whole wheat.

When dough is stiff enough to work, turn out on a floured surface and knead a good 10-12 minutes, working in as little of the remaining flour as necessary. When smooth and elastic, shape into a ball and put in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, place in a warm, fraft-free spot, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. When the rising is complete, punch down the dough and shape into two loaves. Put in well-greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans, cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk, or until the dough reaches the tops of the pans, about 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 375 and continue baking another 20 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on the top and bottom. Cool on racks.