Description
A simple and delicious recipe for the perfect homemade 100% whole wheat bread loaf. It’s great for sandwiches, toast, and beyond!
Ingredients
Sponge
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Remaining ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional but recommended for a higher rise)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Topping (optional)
- 2–3 tablespoons rolled oats (or sunflower seeds, flax seeds or a mix of the three)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the sponge until a smooth batter is formed. Set it aside to activate for 15 minutes. You will know when it is finished when it bubbles and almost doubles in size.
- Once it has activated, add in the water and olive oil and mix through. Add in the remaining whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt, and mix with a standing mixer or a wooden spoon until a smooth dough is formed. Add more water (1 tablespoon at a time) if it is too dry or add more flour (1 tablespoon at a time) if it is too sticky. Once you have reached a smooth dough, knead it for 10 minutes with a dough hook or by hand on a clean work surface.
- Grease a bread pan. Roll the dough into a long log and place it into the bread pan. Spread it around as best you can to be sure it is mostly even on both sides (it does not necessarily have to touch the sides of the pan).
- If you are topping the bread: Spray a light layer of water on top of the dough. Sprinkle on 2-3 tablespoons of rolled oats, pressing them in lightly with your hand to allow them to stick. Spray on another thin layer of water on top of the oats to ensure that they stick.
- Place the bread pan in a warm area and allow the bread to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. We turn our oven light on (while the oven is off) and place the bread on the top rack to rise. We just make sure to remove it before we start preheating the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Once heated, place the bread into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and cool completely before slicing. It is important to allow the bread to cool as it still continues it’s baking process as it cools down on the counter. Slicing it too early will disrupt that process and may result in a doughy, gummy, and sticky texture.
- Slice as thin or as thick as you would like it and serve as desired. We love ours toasted with a smear of vegan butter or as sandwich bread.
Notes
- We have used both a 6 x 11.75″ pan and a 5 x 9″ pan and both worked well. The smaller pan will yield a taller bread.
- If you are not going to eat the loaf right away, we recommend slicing it and freezing it in a freezer safe bag, making sure to press out all of the air before sealing. When you are ready to eat it, don’t let it defrost. Instead, add the frozen slices into a toaster and toast as desired OR pop them into an oven preheated to 325°F for about 5-7 minutes.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Whole-Grain