Whole Wheat Artisan Bread
I can’t believe this artisan bread recipe! It’s easy and delicious. The bread doesn’t get dry like other homemade breads I’ve tasted.
I originally learned the recipe as a white bread recipe. But I changed it to whole wheat and even changed it further by including ground flaxseed. (I show the best way to grind flaxseed in this video.)
This bread doesn’t have added oil, butter, or sugar!
To make it, you’ll need a round casserole-style dish with a glass lid, dough scraper, parchment paper (sold at the grocery store near the foil), whole wheat flour, yeast, salt, and hot water.
The full recipe and list of ingredients is at the end of the photos.
I’ve made this recipe using Whole Foods’ 365 brand of whole wheat flour. I’ve also made it with Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour, too. Both work well in this recipe.
This recipe calls for only 1/4 teaspoon of yeast. I cut open a small packet of yeast and pour it into a small container.
I made two loaves of bread this day.
To make one loaf, in a large bowl, put 3 cups of whole wheat flour (or 2 3/4 cups of the flour plus 1/4 cup of ground flax seed), 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Use a large whisk to stir it together. Measure 1 1/2 cups of hot water from the tap. It just needs to be very hot. Also put some extra hot water into a small bowl and have a tablespoon ready.
Pour the 1 1/2 cups of hot water into the flour mixture. Stir it together. The dough needs to be sticky. I’ve found that with whole wheat flour, this recipe is still rather dry. Add 1 tablespoon of additional hot water at a time and stir. Usually an extra 2 tablespoons of hot water works well.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
The picture above shows a better idea of what the dough looks like.
Set a time for 3 hours!
This is when I get busy doing something else - even doing errands.
If it turns out to be little longer than 3 hours, that is okay.
On a clean counter (or a large board), sprinkle flour and spread it out. Have a dough scraper handy.
Use the dough scraper to scrape out the dough onto the floured counter.
Sprinkle some of the whole wheat flour on the top.
Use the dough scraper to toss the dough around a few times.
You can either use another clean bowl, or you can clean the bowl you’ve been using, dry it off, and use it for this next step.
Put a large piece of parchment paper into the bowl, and then put the dough into the bowl as shown in the pictures above.
Put a towel over the top of the bowl.
Set a timer for 35 minutes.
Put a round covered dish (empty!) into the oven.
Set the oven to 450 degrees F to preheat (with that casserole dish inside!).
After the 35 minutes is up, use oven mitts to remove the hot dish.
Remove the hot lid and put it somewhere safe. As you can see, I put both on the stove top!
Lift the dough using the parchment paper and place it into the dish.
Put the dish into the oven. Remember to use the oven mitts! The dish is hot!
After the oven rack is in place, put the lid on top.
Set a timer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the lid.
Set a timer for 5 more minutes!
Remove the hot dish from the oven and set it on a cooling rack.
You can let it cool for a while and serve it while it’s still warm. Or let it cool completely.
When you’re done sampling it (!), wrap it in plastic wrap and then in foil. I’ve found it stores quite well.
Ingredients:
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour (or - 2 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour and 1/4 cup ground flaxseed)
1/4 teaspoon Yeast
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Hot Water (plus extra in a small bowl in case the dough is too dry)