Whole grain bread twists with chocolate and cherries

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons bulgur
• 2 tbsp quinoa
• 1 tbsp. flax seeds
• 3/4 cup warm water (37°C - 43°C)
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1.5 cups white whole grain flour (170 g) + extra for work
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. toasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried cherries
• 90 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Place 2 cups of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the bulgur and quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a fine-mesh sieve and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Let the quinoa drain for 15 minutes, then spread it on a thick layer of paper towels to remove excess moisture. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the flaxseed in a spice grinder, just breaking it up.
2. Combine warm water, agave syrup, and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let stand until foam appears on the surface, about 3-5 minutes. If the yeast doesn't foam, discard the mixture and try again with fresh yeast.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil and fold in with a stiff silicone spatula. When the dough begins to come together, stir in the cooked grains, ground flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, cherries, and chocolate. Form a uniform ball in the center of the bowl. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and discard any dough that sticks to the sides. The dough will be very sticky at this point. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously flour a dry work surface. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for a few minutes, incorporating enough flour to make the dough less sticky but still moist. Dust your hands with flour periodically to prevent the dough from sticking.
5. Roll the dough into a 25cm square; cut the square in half, then cut each half into 6 strips, each about 12.5cm long. Brush the strips lengthwise with 1 tablespoon of butter. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of the strips over the butter. Take the ends of one strip and twist them in opposite directions until completely twisted.
6. Place the twist on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining strips, spacing them about 2.5 cm apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
7. Uncover the twists and bake until golden brown on the bottom, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven; brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Serve the twists warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
   
   

   Freezing Tips

   
   Freeze the dough strips for up to 2 weeks. Defrost and let sit at room temperature until slightly risen, about 1.5 hours before baking. When rolling the dough, whole grains and seeds may poke holes in it. Simply patch them and continue rolling.