Recipe for ORIGINAL-style Vogel Bread

(US Measurements and Ingredients)

Vogel recipe take #2!  While my first recipe for Vogel Bread makes a wonderful bread in a bread machine, it still wasn't quite true to the original style of the very first type of Vogel bread on the market.  It is almost impossible to find that original, dense bread any more, especially in the US.  But after a LOT of experimentation I've developed a recipe, loosely based on Jim Lahey’s no knead bread, and it's producing a really wonderful loaf I wanted to share with you!  There are several very specific instructions here about times, temperatures etc.  Because of the unusual method, this recipe relies heavily on food science and the instructions should be followed carefully to ensure a successful result.  Note that the bulgur wheat must be soaked overnight, so plan ahead! ☺☺

Ingredients:
3/4c dry Bobs Red Mill Bulgur Wheat (replaces kibbled wheat in NZ recipe)
1tsp dry yeast
2c milk
1tsp sugar
1tsp salt
3c whole wheat flour
1.25 c white standard flour
3 tablespoons chia seed

First, soak the bulgur wheat in a large bowl of water overnight, then gently drain (but don't squish out the water in the grains...the recipe needs the moisture).

Warm milk and sugar until 100-115F (use kitchen thermometer), then stir in yeast and set aside for 10 minutes (the sugar just helps to activate the yeast; you could leave this out and wait longer for the yeast to activate).

Then add all remaining ingredients including drained bulgur to standing mixer bowl with bread paddle attachment, pour in milk/yeast mixture and turn mixer on low for 10 mins.   Let rest for 10mins, then knead again on low for 10 mins.

After this, grease a large bowl with olive oil or butter, tip dough into bowl (it will be much wetter/mushier and more delicate than a typical bread dough) and set aside somewhere warm to rise, with a wet kitchen towel draped over the top so the dough doesn't dry out.  It should double in size before the next step.  That typically takes 3-5 hrs.

Punch down the dough, divide into two loaves and place in greased bread loaf tins.  Place a damp kitchen towel over them again, and place in warm spot to rise.  Again, we want them to double in size  This typically takes another 2 hrs.

When ready, heat oven to 400F.  CAREFULLY cover each loaf tin with tin foil. It should be tightly attached to the tin so very little steam escapes, but lofty enough so the bread doesn't stick to it when it rises a bit more.  The reason for this is because this bread method produces a very wet dough, and the bread needs to be covered and initially cooked in a humid environment to allow the moisture in the center of the bread to escape, before it develops a crust.)

Cook bread covered with foil as stated above for 30 mins, then remove foil and cook another 15 minutes.

Tadaaaa!  Your bread is ready to eat!  Let it rest a while before cutting.