Whole Wheat Artisan Bread


5 of 5 (2)
member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 12
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 261.7
  • Total Fat: 0.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 1,167.3 mg
  • Total Carbs: 55.8 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g
  • Protein: 8.5 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Whole Wheat Artisan Bread calories by ingredient


Introduction

This recipe, the Simple Crusty Bread, keeps well in the fridge for up to two weeks, but after that the yeast seems to give out. I also find I can substitute one third of the flour in these recipes with whole wheat, spelt, rye or other flours. They do not rise as much as plain white flour, but come out nicely.

I also add a tablespoon to a tablespoon and a half of gluten when I do the substitution, which helps make it rise better. You can get gluten in health food stores, fairway, whole foods, etc. Also, I try and keep the yeast in the fride or freezer once I open the jar or large container that I use. I also find bread flour works best for rising, as it has more gluten, which provides a better 'lattice' structure in the dough for the yeast to rise more. I also add sugar to the water mixture - a quarter cup to help the yeast rise, half a cup to 1 cup if i want a sweet challah. I also add spices on occasion to the dough itself, typically a teaspoon of rosemary and a teaspoon of thyme, to the water and yeast mixture. You can experiment and let me know what works for you! I also often make this recipe plain, and then when the dough is ready for the 40 minute rising before you put it in the oven, I roll out the dough and sprinkle some cinammon or spices like zaatar on it before shaping it - if you do it right, you get a nice inner 'ring' of spices.

The recipe can also be halved or doubled, and I find it best if i let the dough rise in the fridge and use it refrigerated - its not as sticky and its easy to use. It yields 4 to 6 loafs, depending on how much you 'rip off' at a time. I also do a few things with the recipe to make it simpler. I add and mix the water, salt, any spices, sugar and the yeast in one bowl and let it sit while I add the flour and any gluten in another bowl. I then add the water mixture to the flour and mix it by hand until there are no clumps, then cover it and put it in the fridge.

You do not need to proof the yeast, and as long as the water is lukewarm and the yeast is fresh, it rises everytime!

For the bread i make, you do not need a pizza peel, just flour it well on the sheet you have it resting on so you can easily take it off and put it in the oven. However, you do need to have something to bake it on - a baking stone or unglazed tiles are best, but a pyrex pie plate or tray will do in a pinch! I bought my unglazed tiles at home depot, for less than a $1 each and they work very well.

It has been adapted from Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007)
This recipe, the Simple Crusty Bread, keeps well in the fridge for up to two weeks, but after that the yeast seems to give out. I also find I can substitute one third of the flour in these recipes with whole wheat, spelt, rye or other flours. They do not rise as much as plain white flour, but come out nicely.

I also add a tablespoon to a tablespoon and a half of gluten when I do the substitution, which helps make it rise better. You can get gluten in health food stores, fairway, whole foods, etc. Also, I try and keep the yeast in the fride or freezer once I open the jar or large container that I use. I also find bread flour works best for rising, as it has more gluten, which provides a better 'lattice' structure in the dough for the yeast to rise more. I also add sugar to the water mixture - a quarter cup to help the yeast rise, half a cup to 1 cup if i want a sweet challah. I also add spices on occasion to the dough itself, typically a teaspoon of rosemary and a teaspoon of thyme, to the water and yeast mixture. You can experiment and let me know what works for you! I also often make this recipe plain, and then when the dough is ready for the 40 minute rising before you put it in the oven, I roll out the dough and sprinkle some cinammon or spices like zaatar on it before shaping it - if you do it right, you get a nice inner 'ring' of spices.

The recipe can also be halved or doubled, and I find it best if i let the dough rise in the fridge and use it refrigerated - its not as sticky and its easy to use. It yields 4 to 6 loafs, depending on how much you 'rip off' at a time. I also do a few things with the recipe to make it simpler. I add and mix the water, salt, any spices, sugar and the yeast in one bowl and let it sit while I add the flour and any gluten in another bowl. I then add the water mixture to the flour and mix it by hand until there are no clumps, then cover it and put it in the fridge.

You do not need to proof the yeast, and as long as the water is lukewarm and the yeast is fresh, it rises everytime!

For the bread i make, you do not need a pizza peel, just flour it well on the sheet you have it resting on so you can easily take it off and put it in the oven. However, you do need to have something to bake it on - a baking stone or unglazed tiles are best, but a pyrex pie plate or tray will do in a pinch! I bought my unglazed tiles at home depot, for less than a $1 each and they work very well.

It has been adapted from Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007)

Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

    * Granulated Sugar, 1/4 cup
    * Salt, 1.5 tsp
    * Yeast, bakers, 1.5 tsp
    * Wheat Gluten 1 to 1.5 tablespoon
    * Thyme, ground, 1 tsp
    * Rosemary, dried, 1 tsp
    * *Flour, white, 4 cups
    * *Whole Wheat Flour, 2 cups
    ** 4 Cups water, 3 for recipe, 1 for cooking

Directions

In large bowl, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature at least 2 hours (and up to 5). Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks.

When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough. Cut off grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating rounded top and lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes. Dust dough with flour and slash top with serrated knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour 1 cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Yield: 4 loaves.



Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user DAVETREK.

TAGS:  Side Items |

Member Ratings For This Recipe


  • no profile photo

    Incredible!
    Just made this bread from the 5 minutes a day book. It is so good and so easy! - 3/19/11


  • no profile photo

    Incredible!
    great bread. i have the cookbook. - 12/12/09


  • no profile photo


    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    directions??? - 12/12/08

    Reply from DAVETREK (12/15/08)
    I have posted the instructions and some tips on how to make the bread...let me know how it comes out - i make it nearly every week!