Soft and Delicious Whole Wheat Bread
This whole wheat bread recipe uses a simple poolish starter prepared the night before to create a soft and flavorful loaf without any added sugar or oil. The result is a delicious, wholesome bread that’s perfect for sandwiches or toast.
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Equipment
- small mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Measuring cups or food scale
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook
- 1 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
For the Poolish
- ½ cup warm water 115g
- ½ cup whole wheat flour 90g
- ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast 1g
For the Dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour 295g
- ¾ cup warm water 168g
- 1 teaspoon sea salt 9g
- 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten 11g
- 2 ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast 6g
Instructions
Day 1: Prepare the Poolish Starter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup warm water, ½ cup whole wheat flour, and ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast. (set aside remainder of the packet for dough)
- Stir until a smooth, sticky dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place to ferment overnight (about 12-16 hours).
Day 2: Make the Dough
- Measure ¾ cup warm water and add the remainder of the yeast packet. (about 2 ⅛ tsp) Stir to dissolve the yeast and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand), combine the poolish, yeast, and water mixture, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten, and 1 teaspoon sea salt.
- Using a dough hook mix on low speed for 2 minutes. If mixing by hand knead and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes on medium speed, until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour as needed, but avoid adding too much to keep the bread soft.
First Rise
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let it rest in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it has almost doubled in size.
Shape and Second Rise
- After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a loaf.
- Place the shaped loaf into a non-stick loaf pan. You can also line it with parchment paper to avoid sticking.
- Cover the loaf again with a tea towel and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes, or until it has risen over the edge of the pan.
- This is a good time to preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the dough has risen to the top of the loaf pan its time to bake.
Bake
- Bake the bread on the center oven rack for 35-40 minutes, until the top is firm. You can tip the loaf out of the pan to check for doneness. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Allow the bread to cool completely on a rack before slicing.
