This Whole Wheat Bread is 70% whole grain, super easy to make and delicious. The post also has lots of variations ideas for the same.
One of the most common requests to me in the past 15 days has been for easy homemade bread. The stores are out of bread and most of us find it easy and comforting breakfast. This 70% whole wheat bread is the answer to all those queries.
I love baking bread whether it is quick yeasted bread that get ready in a few hours or slow sourdough bakes. But I do know that a lot of people find bread baking overwhelming. If you are one of them and this is your first foray in bread making, I recommend reading the following posts. And yes, read them in sequence.
The bread I am sharing today is a very basic whole wheat bread. Since it is 70% whole wheat it is denser than the ones you get in market. We at home don’t mind that too much. But if it bothers you, change the ratio a bit. A 50:50 yields a fairly spongy bread without much of a trouble.
Variations of Whole Wheat Bread
If you want to change things up and make this a flavoured bread then here are a few flavour combinations I recommend.
- Garlic & Herbs: This is probably one of my favourite variations in bread. I love garlic and it shines in bread. 4-5 cloves of minced garlic and about 2 tbsp chopped herbs should be good
- Masala Bread: If you are looking for that Indian comfort, blend together some green chillies, jeers, mint and coriander leaves. Add about 3 tbsp of that to the bread dough while kneading
- Italian: For an Italian flavour, add about 2 tbsp of chopped olives and one packet of that seasoning leftover from many pizza deliveries
- Seeded: Add about 5-6 tbsp of mixed seeds to the dough. This is best added after the bulk proofing
Happy to think of more combos and share with me too.
COVID LOCKDOWN THOUGHTS
I didn’t blog yesterday. It was a weird sort of a day. Not sad or anything but I was EXHAUSTED! I mean I thought I have been tired before but yesterday it took a new meaning. I guess the fact that Aunt Flo is here also made a difference.
Apart from that, the past two days have been fairly routine. I feel like we are finally getting the rhythm of this thing. Get up, cook breakfast, get to work. Each one has their tasks assigned and does them fairly religiously and without being nagged. Is this a new normal I wonder?
Funny thing is what I son said to be yesterday when he was doing a google hangout with his friends at about 11pm. Along with the hangout was also an iPad so that they can play Clash of Clans or whatever it is together. I scolded a bit and told him it is time to sleep. He was chatting with a friend in the US and went “Mumma, D & my friends are my support. Don’t take them away from me”.
So much drama I swear. But then he is my son after all 😉
Anyways, leaving you with today’s recipe. If you make this, share a picture with me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook? I would love to hear what you have to say about it.
Whole Wheat Bread: Day 18 of COVID Isolation
Ingredients
- 350 gm atta
- 150 gm maida
- 15 g Vital Gluten optional, I usually don't bother
- 12 g yeast
- 10 g salt
- 10 gm sugar
- 10 ml oil
- 300-325 ml water
For the topping
- 10 gm mixed seeds I used melon and chia, read above for more options
Instructions
- Measure out 100ml of warm water and mix yeast and sugar in it. Keep aside for 5-10 mins, until it starts to foam
- Mix all the dry ingredients together, including the dry herbs and flavourings if using any. and the yeast mixture, and some water. If using seeds add them later. Mix and form the dough. Now knead the dough well till it is smooth and elastic. This will take about 10-12 mins. You can use your food processor or kitchen aid for this
- Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl, covered, for about 45mins-1hr till it is doubled. This will depend on the weather conditions and might take longer.
- Knock down all the air, let it rest for 10 mins and then shape in a elongated log of your bread tin size. Add seeds just before shaping. Place it in inside the bread tin and proof for another 45 mins
- Bake at 190C for 30 mins till it comes out clean and the tap on the bottom sounds hollow. If you like your bread nicely browned, remove from the tin and bake for another 10 mins.
Mam, you have not mentioned about when to add the foam mixture produced by mixing sugar, water and yeast to dough. Please let us know clearly
Sorry have updated the recipe