Farmhouse Whole Wheat Bread
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thirschfeld says: I like to braid this loaf for two reasons. One it looks pretty and two, when I make this loaf on a Sunday it is nice to bake it about two hours before dinner, remove it from the oven to cool a little, then serve it warm and let people tear off a hunk. It will tear at the braids like dinner rolls would.
Makes two 4 x 8 loaves
- 2 1/2 cups warm buttermilk, body temperature is good
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 5 1/2 cups fine grind whole wheat flour
- 1 to 1 1/2 cup unbleached bread flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft
- poppy seeds
- 1 egg white mixed with a tablespoon of water
- Warm the buttermilk to body temperature. In other words when you stick a finger into it you shouldn’t feel it.
- Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the tablespoon of yeast and the honey to it. Let the yeast dissolve either by whisking it or letting it bloom. Add the whole wheat flour, 1 cup of bread flour, egg and salt.
- Using a thick handled wooden spoon mix the dough in a circular fashion adding the softened butter once the dough has started to form. Once the dough has formed remove it from the bowl to a clean counter top and knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic and the gluten has formed. Consider this your workout for the day. Roll the dough into a tight ball.
- Place the dough back into the bowl , cover it with a damp warm towel and set it in a warm place. Set a timer for 1 hour.
- At the end of the hour punch down the dough and set the timer for another hour. At the end of this hour the dough should be doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Roll it into a ball and either divide it into thirds so you can roll it into logs and braid it or roll it into two big logs.
- Place the loaves into prepared pans. I always oil and then shake flour into my pans. The thin coating of flour lets the baked bread easily release from the pan . Cover with a warm damp towel and let the dough rise for 40 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Once the loaves have doubled brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. You can also dust the tops with flour but if you do this don’t use the egg wash.
- Bake the loaves in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes rotating them halfway through baking.
- Remove the loaves from the oven and remove them from the bread pans to a rack and let them cool.
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3 months ago mschrank
Wow! I'm not a horrible baker, but bread has always been hit and miss for me. This one turned out amazing! I included my 7 year old daughter in the process...I think that was the key ingredient.
8 months ago Latetotheparty
Thank you for this recipe. I have been looking ofr a whole wheat bread recipe that would have a soft texture. I did cut this in half to make just one loaf, used soured milk as I had no buttermilk handy and was not adventurous enough to braid it. My one loaf rose well, had a great texture and taste.
9 months ago Mary McKnight
This has become my go-to weekly bread recipe -- we love it warm out of the oven, and later for sandwiches and toast. Thank you!
10 months ago Wonderland Kitchen
I love the look of braided bread, but that can make fitting slices into the toaster difficult. It never occurred to me to just stick them in a pan. Thanks for resolving this bread dilemma! Made these last Sunday, and both loaves have somehow disappeared already.
11 months ago mainecook61
Very good recipe. The loaves have nice oven spring. The instructions are accurate, although you do have to remember to put the softened butter in when called for. I did use a bit less flour. This also keeps and freezes well.
11 months ago Pleuhs
I made this bread yesterday and it didn't rise in the oven at all. ( It rose very well the first, second and third time) What did I do wrong?
11 months ago thirschfeld
Pleuhs it sounds like when you put it in the oven it didn't get what is called, spring, or that oven rise which leads me to believe your final rise was too long. Which you might have gone an hours but if your kitchen was warm yesterday it might have only needed thirty five minutes. What was the interior crumb like?
11 months ago Kimmbe
I have never braided a top before--could you provide some guidance? Your photo looks lovely!
11 months ago thirschfeld
You broad it like a Challah loaf and then simply put it in a loaf pan and then let it have it'a final rise. Think hair braiding with each end tucked under.
12 months ago midnitechef
OOH! This looks lovely! Thanks for sharing a bread recipe :)
12 months ago thirschfeld
total weight of an ingredient ÷ total weight of flour x 100% = % of ingredient
I give you the means now you have the power to convert any bread recipe you wish
12 months ago thirschfeld
total weight of an ingredient ÷ total weight of flour x 100% = % of ingredient
I'll give you the means now you have the power to figure the bakers percentages on any loaf you want to convert, not just this one.
12 months ago goodforbusiness
I understand how to convert percentages based on the weight of flour (big fan of Hammelman!), but I don't know how to figure out formulas from volume measurements without scaling the ingredients first (which I'm hesitant to do because I would end up wasting ingredients on the first round). I was wondering if you would be willing to share your formula. Thanks! :)
12 months ago goodforbusiness
Could you provide baker's percentages for this loaf? I would like to scale it down to make one small loaf. :)