Homemade Whole-Grain Bread Recipe

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Photo By Tim Nauman
Allow freshly baked loaves to fully cool before slicing. For most breads, this means at least an hour of patient watching.

Here we are following the time-tested method of creating pre-doughs that is discussed at length in Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads. The recipe is rather adaptable. A little extra fat creates a soft, airy crumb and slows staling; honey sweetens; buttermilk adds acidity and a pleasant tang; and orange juice tempers the faint bitterness in whole wheat without adding orange flavor. None of these things, however, is necessary for good bread. To keep things super-simple and super-cheap, omit everything except the flour, yeast, salt and water, and substitute water for the other liquids.

If you’re not accustomed to eating 100 percent whole-grain foods, you may want to substitute unbleached bread flour for a portion of the whole-wheat flour. Keep in mind that whole-wheat flour absorbs more liquid than white flour, so reduce the liquid somewhat if using white flour. You can always add more water later.

Homemade Whole-Grain Bread Recipe

Makes a 1-pound loaf.

Ingredients

  • Published on Oct 31, 2012
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