Go Back
+ servings
A loaf of whole wheat bread that's cut to see the texture (crumb) of the bread.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Easy Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

 This is a yeasted whole wheat bread with optional fennel seed.
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Any
Keyword: whole wheat bread recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 257.1kcal
Author: Susan Pridmore

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces (2 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 3 ounces (⅔ cup) whole wheat flour
  • 1 package Rapid Rise yeast also seen as Instant Yeast or Quick-Rise Yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 1 tablespoon whole fennel seed
  • 1 ⅓ cups warm water between 115°F and 125°F
  • 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • Olive oil

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together the flours, yeast, baking powder, ground flax seed and fennel seed.
  • Check that the water temperature registers about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. (In order for this type of yeast to grow, the liquid needs to be between 115 and 125 degrees.)
  • With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the water into the flour mixture, and mix until the flour is completely incorporated into the liquid.
  • Add the salt, honey and melted butter.
    Increase the speed of the mixer to medium and beat until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bottom and sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes.
  • Scoop the dough out of the bowl, and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a clean bowl with olive oil, and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the top securely with plastic wrap. Let the covered dough rise in a warm spot that's free of drafts until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • Generously oil an 8-inch round cake pan with oil (I used olive oil).
    Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. You shouldn't need to add additional flour, as the dough should be soft but not sticky. But if you feel you need a little, just lightly flour your hands.
    Press the dough to deflate it, and shape it into a 7-inch-diameter round (boule). Arrange it in the center of the prepared cake pan. Generously brush the top and sides of the dough with additional oil. You can use a brush for this or your hands.
  • Lightly cover, and let the dough rise in a warm spot of your kitchen until doubled in size, about 25 minutes. It will completely fill the pan, and rise above the sides of the pan. Mine rises roughly 2 inches above the sides of the pan.
  • Position an oven rack in the middle of your oven, and preheat the oven to 375˚F while the bread performs the second rise. For a crusty crust, place an empty pan in the bottom of the oven while it preheats.
    Slide the cake pan in the oven, and spray the sides of the oven with water. Add ice cubes and some water to the pan on the bottom of the oven. In the first 10 minutes of baking, open the oven door to quickly spray the sides of the oven a couple of times. This, plus the pan of ice water, helps create a crusty crust on the bread.
  • Bake until the boule is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped, about 40 minutes.
    A temperature probe inserted into the bottom of the bread should read 200˚F. However, at altitude, you will likely only reach around 195˚F or slightly less. This is fine.
  • Remove the bread from the oven, and tip the baked bread onto a cooling rack. You may need to use a sharp knife to separate the bread from the sides of the cake pan, but the bread should easily release.
    Cool completely before eating, no matter how tempting it is.

Notes

Adapted from Abby Dodge's Peasant Boule.
  • This might be the easiest yeast bread I've ever made, and one of the best tasting. I know first hand how daunting making bread can be, but if you've ever even remotely considered it, this is a great place to start.
  • I highly recommend weighing flour when baking. If you don't have a scale, the conversion I use is 4.5 ounces per 1 cup. 
  • A great place to allow bread to rise is in the microwave oven. Fill a cup with water and heat up in the microwave for 1 minute, until nice and hot. Move the cup to the back and place the bowl with dough in the microwave with it. Let sit for the rising time. The hot water creates a warm, moist environment; the cavity of the microwave protects the dough from drafts. Bonus: it frees up space if you're working in a small kitchen.
  • The fennel flavor is fairly mild in the bread, making it a great bread for sandwiches or preserves. If you prefer a stronger fennel flavor, feel free to increase the fennel by 50%. Fennel is a fairly strong, distinctive flavor, and I don't recommend much more than that.
  • The ground flax seed can be completely eliminated without changing anything else. I put flax seed in a lot of things to add a hint of nuttiness, and for its reported health benefits. I always add some to breads and sprinkle it over salads, pastas, and other vegetable dishes.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.125of the loaf | Calories: 257.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.5g | Protein: 6.5g | Fat: 5.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11.3mg | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4.5g | Vitamin A: 132.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2.6mg