Name: 100% Wholemeal(Wholewheat) Bread
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Ingredients: 465g(3 1/2 cups + 1 tsp) wholemeal flour - at least 13.5% protein; 307ml(1 1/4 cups + 1 tsp) lukewarm water; 54g(2tbsp+2 tsp) honey; 7.5g( 1 1/4 tsp) salt; 56g(4 tbsp) softened unsalted butter; 6g(2 tsp) instant yeast

4.8/5 - (21 votes)

I do enjoy wholemeal bread, also known as wholewheat bread, and eat some everyday with my lunch. Made with 100% of the grain of wheat, wholemeal flour, is rougher in texture that white flour.

Bread made from wholemeal often contains some white bread flour as well. That provides a lighter texture to the bread. However, for this loaf I wanted to use 100% wholemeal. Knowing that this would make a denser loaf I needed to ensure that I used a flour with a high protein content. Protein in the flour is what creates the gluten, to give structure to the bread. So the higher the protein content the stronger the gluten content, which would allow more lift to the bread, giving a lighter texture than could otherwise be achieved.

So I used a wholemeal flour that had 13.5% protein. That means 13.5 grams of protein per 100 grams of flour. There are wholemeal flours available with greater, or lesser, levels of protein. They can be used too. Just remember that the lower the protein level the denser the loaf is likely to be. In the UK you can always check how much protein is in the flour by reading the nutritional information on the packet.

Recipe

So, let’s consider the recipe. The dough is very easy to make, if you have a stand mixer. It is not difficult to make by hand, but it is more work as the dough has to be kneaded for quite a long time. It is ready when you have a soft and elastic dough.

The dough has to be proofed, once it is made, until it has doubled in size. This will take between 1 and 2 hours, in most kitchens, depending on the room temperature.

Then, once proofed, the dough has to be de-gassed and shaped to go into a 2lb/900g loaf tin. I used a tin that was slightly larger than that, but 2lb/900g tins will work just fine. Then the dough must be proofed in the tin. That takes about 45 minutes, until the dough has risen above the top of the loaf tin.

As the dough rises in the tin it is time to preheat the oven. Then it is time to bake the loaf.

The heat of the oven will provide an extra rise to the dough. After just about 35 to 40 minutes or so(mine took 38 minutes) the loaf is fully baked.

My Bake

I baked my loaf for 38 minutes. I had expected it to be fully baked by 35 minutes. However when I tested the internal temperature with a thermometer it hadn’t reached the necessary 90C/190F. So I left it until 38 minutes and tested again. By that time the internal temperature was 94C/108F. So I was sure it was fully baked.

Having risen well in the oven the loaf looked very good indeed. I removed it from the oven and immediately rubbed some butter over the top. That was to ensure the crust was nice and soft.

Then I removed the loaf from the tin and cooled it completely, on a wire rack, before slicing.

The rise had created a wonderful texture, nice and soft. My loaf had that wonderfully nutty flavour that is expected from a good wholemeal bread.

It certainly sliced very well. I used it for sandwiches and enjoyed them immensely. Personally I think this 100% wholemeal bread tastes much better than those made by including some white flour. In fact I rather think that I shall be making this much more frequently in future.

100% Wholemeal(Wholewheat) Bread – Video

Another very good recipe is Soft White Sandwich Bread.