If you prefer a brown loaf, then try this tasty wholemeal bread recipe. This recipe is very similar to the white tin loaf version, it just needs a little bit of extra work, but is still easy to make.
Wholemeal flour absorbs more water than white flour and it continues absorbing water throughout the process. For this reason, this recipe requires a bit more water and some extra kneading.
You will also find this dough takes longer to rise than the white version, but if you have the time, it’s worth the wait for the extra flavor.
This wholemeal bread recipe contains butter which will result in a rich, soft loaf which keeps for longer.
Wholemeal bread recipe
Equipment
- 2lb (1kg) Loaf tin
- Mixer with a dough hook (optional)
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough scraper
Ingredients
- 500 g Strong wholemeal bread flour
- 7 g Dried yeast
- 10 g Sea Salt Maldon if you have it
- 30 g Butter Softened
- 350 ml Warm water
Instructions
Stage 1 – make the dough
- Weigh the flour into a large bowl or mixer bowl if you're using a dough hook.
- Add the yeast and salt to the flour, keeping them separate on either side of the bowl.
- Measure the water into a jug.
- Make a well in the flour, add the butter and water and bring together until all the flour is mixed in and the dough is formed.
- Knead the mixture by hand for around 15 minutes on a floured surface or for 12 minutes using a dough hook.
- Put the dough back into the large bowl and cover with clingfilm.
- Let the dough rise until it's doubled in size – for at least one hour (time will depend on how warm the room is).
Stage 2 – shape and prove
- Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface.
- Knead it a few times to get rid of any large air bubbles.
- Shape the dough so it fits into the bread tin or shape into a round (or 2) if you're using a baking sheet. Make sure any seams or creases are on the underside of the dough.
- Cover and leave for around another hour, until the bread has doubled in size.
Stage 3 – Bake the bread
- Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F
- Uncover the loaf and place it into the preheated oven.
- Bake for around 25-30 minutes until golden brown and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
- You can test the bread is cooked by knocking on the base – you should hear a hollow sound when it's ready.
Nutrition
TIP: Not sure if you have all the necessary bread baking equipment at home? Check out my recommended picks below (Amazon links):
-
- Scale: Nicewell 22lb Digital Kitchen Scale
- Mixing Bowls: OXO Stainless Mixing Bowls Set
- Pastry Scraper: OXO Stainless Pastry Scraper
- Loaf Pan: OXO Non-stick Loaf Pan
- Kitchen Thermometer: ThermoPro Digital Thermometer
- Stand Mixer (optional): Kenwood Kmix Stand Mixer
Top tips
You may not need all of the water in this recipe (depending on the flour brand you choose). Hold a bit back while you’re mixing the ingredients and then add a bit more if it looks too dry.
You can adjust either way at the mixing stage:
If your dough is too wet – add a little bit more flour while you’re kneading.
If your dough is too dry – add a splash more water.
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If you’re looking for more inspiration and delicious wholemeal bread recipes you might also like to try the following:
