This is my go-to daily sandwich bread recipe. I normally make it in a large batch so I only have to bake bread once a week, but I know that approach isn’t necessary for everyone. Over the years of baking this bread, my technique has slowly morphed into the recipe that follows. If you’ve taken a class with me in the past, you may notice a few small differences between this recipe and the one you learned in class, but the essentials are the same. Likewise, I suspect that many of you have modified that first recipe to make it fit your kitchen and needs. The search for perfect bread is a long one, but this loaf comes pretty darn close, in my book.
Whole Wheat Bread – Single Loaf
Recipe Type: bread
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Cook time:
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Serves: 1 loaf
This recipe is my basic go-to sandwich bread in a single loaf recipe size. Search my site for a 2-loaf recipe and a 6-loaf recipe. The flavor and taste of this bread depend greatly on the quality of the whole wheat flour – use freshly ground if you can find it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of warm water (baby bath temperature)
- 2 T oil (I like coconut oil or olive oil)
- 2 T sugar (I use honey)
- .5 cups of high protein white flour (such as King Arthur flour – red bag)
- 2.5 cups of freshly milled whole wheat flour – divided (If you can’t find freshly ground, use 1 cup of bagged whole wheat flour)
- 2 t instant yeast
- 2 t salt (fine texture – if you only have course salt, dissolve it into a small bit of the water before adding it to the dough)
Instructions
- With the dough hook in your mixer, combine the warm water, honey and oil in the base of your mixer. Add 2 cups of the whole wheat flour and stir until combined. Let rest for 10-30 minutes. This will help strengthen the protein and gluten in the whole wheat flour.
- Add the instant yeast to the mixer bowl and pulse to combine.
- Add the white flour and the salt to the mixer. Turn the mixer to low speed and let combine. Add enough of the remaining whole wheat flour to the dough until it clears the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. You may not need all of the whole wheat flour. Turn the mixer to low-medium speed and allow it to knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable.
- Roll the dough it a little olive oil (or other cooking oil) and allow to rise in a large, covered bowl in a warm spot for about 45 minutes until it is just doubled in size. You should be able to poke the dough and it will feel soft and you’re finger will leave a slight indent.
- Oil your bread pan. Whole wheat breads do best in smaller pans – this loaf should fit nicely in a 4″x6.5″ pan, and weigh about 1 pound 6 ounces uncooked.
- Gently deflate the dough and shape it for your loaf pan. Shape by gently patting into a rectangle slightly wider than your pan. Roll the dough along the long length and gently pinch and seal the seam. Tuck the edges under towards the seam and place the loaf, seam side down, into your oiled bread pan.
- Oil the top of the loaf. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm spot for about 30-45 minutes until the top of the dough is about 1 inch above the edge of the pan.
- While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- When the dough has risen, gently move the pan into the oven and reduce the oven temp to 350. Cook for 30 minutes, until it is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the outside.
These single loaf bread realted information is really great and understandable for all of us.