How to bake homemade bread with whole-grain flour
Homemade bread is one of the simplest and most rewarding things to bake: all you need is flour, water, yeast, and salt. We show you, step by step, how to bake fragrant bread with whole-grain flour.
What you need
For one medium loaf:
- 500 g whole-grain flour (or 250 g whole-grain + 250 g premium grade),
- 350–380 ml lukewarm water,
- 7 g dry yeast (or 20 g fresh),
- 10 g salt,
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional).
Step by step
- Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt, and knead until you get a smooth, soft dough (8–10 minutes).
- Cover and leave in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, until it doubles in volume.
- Shape the loaf, place it in a pan lined with baking paper, and let it rest another 30–40 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 35–40 minutes, until the crust turns deep golden.
- After baking, let the bread cool completely on a rack: slicing warm bread crushes the crumb.
Tips
Whole-grain flour absorbs more water than white flour, so if the dough seems dry, gradually add a little more water. For a softer crumb, mix whole-grain flour with premium-grade flour. And if you want a distinctive, mild nutty flavor, replace part of the flour with emmer flour.
