It shouldn't be a problem. But here's a way to protect the yeast a bit. Add the butter and the salt after you've added some of the flour. I make this change with all bread recipes.
What on earth is the tomato paste doing in there?

I was wondering about that too! But I assume it's natural "food coloring".

Because the butter is added early, it will contribute to a shortening effect to the gluten - especially with SO much butter (although I've made a Brioche that took a pound of butter).

Where the fat coats the gluten-forming proteins in the flour, the hydration can't be absorbed by the flour and only short strands of gluten will develop. Therefore you will end up with a short loaf with a tender, close, cake-like crumb. This is a pastry technique used for a yeast bread, not a standard bread-making technique.

When the salt is added early before any mixing of the liquid and flour, it will tighten the gluten and make it more difficult to knead. I think it's a basic error to add salt early to any yeast bread, but it's probably done for convenience - so it's not forgotten - without respect or knowledge to the science.

I would be careful with the rise of this bread. I would only allow it to raise to just under double due to the enriching ingredients and high fat content, as well as the mixing method used. Believe it or not, the rise has NOTHING to do with the clock - so only use the suggested times as a guideline - not a given. The rise has EVERYTHING to do with the ambient temperature, moisture, and the activity of the yeast. It's double when it's double - not when the timer goes off.... (one of my pet peeves with bread recipes).

-Grainlady

Thanks for your input. I will watch the rise, to make sure I don't over proof it. I also wondered about the tomato paste. I may just leave it out. Unfortunately, I will have to postpone my bread making until tomorrow or even Thursday.

I have embarked upon a search for good cracked wheat/bulgur wheat bread recipes. I've already tried one from the Laura's Kitchen bread book. My husband and I like it, but I want to try some more. If you've got any, I'd appreciate your sharing with me.

This is a crusty round loaf I used to make frequently when the kids were home (eons ago) - before I even knew HOW to make bread!

-Grainlady

BULGUR WHEAT LOAF
(source: Pillsbury)

3/4 c. water
1/2 c. bulgur wheat
2-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups Pillsbury's BEST All-Purpose or Unbleached Flour
2 T. brown sugar
1 to 1-1/2 t. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 c. water heated to 120°-130°F
1/4 c. oil
1 c. Pillsbury's BEST Whole Wheat Flour
2 t. water
1 egg white
1 t. bulgur wheat

Grease cookie sheet. Bring 3/4 c. water to a boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 c. bulgur. Let stand 20-25 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, yeast, 1 cup hot water and oil; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in bulgur mixture, whole wheat flour and additional 1 cup all-purpose flour to form a stiff dough.

On floured surface, knead in 1/4-1/2 cup all-purpose flour until dough is elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in a warm place (80-85°F) until light and doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Shape into round loaf. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and ALMOST doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough. With very sharp knife, cut a 1/2-inch deep slash across top of loaf. Cut another at a right angle, making a cross. In small bowl, beat 2 t. water and egg white until blended. Brush over top of loaf; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon bulgur, if desired. Bake at 375°F for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack. One loaf = 17 slices.

***Grainlady Note: I have a hand-written note that says to form the loaf tall, not flat like scones - for whatever that's worth ;-) I also altered the recipe to use a package of Rapid Rise Yeast, instead of slower-acting Active Dry Yeast, with these alternations. After the dough is mixed and well-kneaded, allow to rest with the mixing bowl over it for 10 minutes (eliminating the first rise). Then form, final proof, and bake per instructions. I guess I didn't have time for long rises back in those busy days.

Grainlady. It has all the ingredients I've been looking for. Maybe I'll try it instead of the Bob's Red Mill one.

You only have 2 tsp of tomato paste. I'd put it in just for the hell of it. I don't think it will add much.

But you have buttermilk. The reason for that is because you are using fast acting yeast rather than ambient yeast. The fast acting stuff doesn't have the bacterial cultures that the ambient yeasts work with, so adding yogurt or buttermilk is a way to get some of that flavor. In addition, it will produce a more tender crumb, which, as grainlady mentioned, the butter will do as well. There isn't so much butter in the recipe that it will really make a brioche-like bread, but one benefit of using a bit of a fat is that the bread will usually keep a little longer than a simple water/flour bread.

Combining HOT water and yeast is not a good idea. It should just be warm to your touch. And I also agree with grainlady about the salt - I don't usually add any salt to any bread i make though.

"Combining HOT water and yeast is not a good idea. It should just be warm to your touch..."

A temperature of 120°-130°F is necessary in the recipe I posted above because you are adding it to "bulk" dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. It's NOT the correct temperature for proofing water, yeast and sweetener - that temperature should be between 100-110°F. When water is added to bulk ingredients you need the extra warmth because the temperature quickly cools because of the additional dry mixture - so the temperature after the initial cooling from the ingredients will be around 100°F, or so, to make sure it remains warm enough to activate the yeast.

In the recipe, the "hot" water was to differentiate from the (cold) water that was used to cook the bulgur in and the heated water for mixing with the yeast/flour mixture.

If "warm to the touch" water is added to bulk dry ingredients that contains yeast, it will be too cool to completely activate the yeast after the additional ingredients cools the warm-to-touch water temperature even MORE.

When you use active dry yeast, be careful your dissolving water is no cooler than 100°F. Gluthione will leak out of the yeast cells rapidly if cool water is used for proofing the yeast and can cause the dough strength to weaken.

An instant read thermometer will quickly give you the temperature reading of water used for proofing or adding to "bulk" ingredients. You don't have to guess...

-Grainlady

Grainlady, I have a question about your personal note regarding forming "a tall loaf." I mentioned earlier that I have baked the cracked wheat bread recipe in the Laurel's Kitchen bread book. The flavor & texture are just fine, but the dough is heavy (with all that bulgur wheat) and spreads out when making free form loaves (I haven't tried it in loaf pans yet). Do you have any tricks for creating taller loaves from heavier breads? I read somewhere about placing the dough inside the removable sides of a springform pan. What do you think?

shambo - The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book is NOT one of my favorites. The recipes are too entailed when they don't need to be. They often leave the person making the recipes questioning a lot of the steps; and they find it difficult to understand or duplicate some of the instructions. I've noted more people on baking groups who have problems with her recipes. I find a lot of her techniques "odd" - contrary to common bread science - or unnecessary. But bread making is so individual, so different strokes for different folks.

A method I've used a few times, and originally saw used on TV, was to form and bake the loaf in an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan to give it a little structure and maintain the rounds, but the springform pan would also be a good choice. I don't think it's cheating any more than using a perforated baguette pan (some "experts" hate those...)

The book, "BREAD A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes" by Jeffrey Hamelman - Director of the Bakery and Baking Education Center, King Arthur Flour, has good instructions and pictures on shaping free-form breads.

I'm a panned loaves kinda' person for the most part - probably because my logical mind likes consistant, predictable results. I lack a lot of WOW factor (LOL). I'm also a stickler for cutting a serving (slice) of bread to 1-ounce, and I control that best with panned breads.

-Grainlady

Grainlady, thanks for your input. Last night, after I wrote my last message, I was wondering about using round cake pans, so I'm glad you mentioned them as a possibility. I'll look up the book you referenced in my county library and see if I can take a peek.

My husband is the one who loves free form breads. For him, there's nothing better than tearing off a chunk and eating it with butter. Since he's on a low salt diet and has given up so many of his old favorites, I try to make things so he won't feel deprived. I always half the salt in every bread recipe I make, and I make a low sodium butter spread. To him, a chunk of bread with my butter spread is like a big bowl of ice cream to other people.

I'm going to try your recipe today and maybe the Bob's Red Mill one tomorrow. I'll report back if I have any questions. Thanks for your help.