Description
This bakery-worthy wheat bread recipe delivers a soft, tender crumb with a beautiful rise using a combination of whole wheat and bread flour. Perfect for homemade sandwiches or toast, the dough is simple to make with a calm, step-by-step approach. A touch of honey and melted butter enriches the loaf, while optional vital wheat gluten enhances the texture, resulting in a truly satisfying and wholesome bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 300 g whole wheat flour (about 2½ cups)
- 120 g bread flour (about 1 cup)
- 7 g instant yeast (2¼ tsp or active dry yeast, same amount)
- 9 g fine salt (1½ tsp)
- 8 g vital wheat gluten (1 Tbsp, optional, especially helpful if using 100% whole wheat)
Wet Ingredients
- 300 g warm milk (1¼ cups) or warm water
- 30–40 g honey (2–3 Tbsp) or sugar (2 Tbsp)
- 28 g melted butter (2 Tbsp) or olive oil (2 Tbsp)
Toppings (Optional)
- 2–3 Tbsp seeds or oats
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, bread flour (if using), yeast, salt, and optional vital wheat gluten. Add the warm milk or water, honey, and melted butter or olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour pockets. Aim for a slightly tacky but cohesive dough.
- Knead until smooth and elastic: Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead for about 6–8 minutes. If kneading by hand, do so on a lightly floured surface for about 8–10 minutes. The dough should become smooth, springy, and stretch without tearing easily.
- First rise (bulk fermentation): Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, and cover. Let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size and puffy, usually 60–90 minutes. Check readiness by pressing a fingertip into the dough; it should slowly spring back leaving a slight dent.
- Shape the loaf: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press into a rectangle. Roll it snugly into a log, pinch the seam closed, and tuck the ends under to create surface tension. Place seam-side down into a greased loaf pan.
- Second rise (final proof): Cover the pan and let the dough rise until it crowns just above the pan’s rim. Avoid under-proofing, which leads to splitting, and over-proofing, which can cause collapsing.
- Bake to a golden crust: Bake in a preheated oven until the loaf is deeply fragrant and golden on top. If browning occurs too fast, tent with foil. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the center; it should register 190–200°F (88–93°C).
- Cool before slicing: Let the bread cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents a gummy crumb and ensures ideal texture when sliced.
Notes
- Using vital wheat gluten improves texture, especially if using 100% whole wheat flour.
- Warm milk or water should be around 100–110°F to activate yeast without killing it.
- Honey can be substituted with sugar for sweetness.
- Allow the dough to proof fully for best rise and crumb.
- Tenting with foil prevents the crust from over-browning while baking.
- Cool bread completely before slicing to avoid gummy texture.
