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Homemade Wholewheat Bread

An easy wholewheat bread that's light, chewy and super flavourful!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 9 " loaf
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Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 and 1/4 tsps active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus 1 tsp if needed
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 and 1/4 tsps salt
  • 3 and 1/2 cups wholewheat flour

Instructions

  • Heat the water until it's warm, but not too hot. You should be able to dip a finger in comfortably. Stir in the yeast until dissolved, then cover and set aside for about 10 minutes or until frothy.
  • In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment, pour the oil, honey and milk. Mix on low until combined. If you measure your oil before the honey, the honey slides out easily. See notes for kneading by hand.
  • Pour in the yeast mixture and mix again.
  • Add 3 and 1/4 cups of the flour, sprinkle the salt over and mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together. Switch to medium speed and mix until you have a smooth, soft but firm dough, with a little elasticity. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour a little at a time if the mixture looks too wet. You may or may not need all of it. I also added 1 tsp more oil and 1 tbsp more water.
  • Once the dough is ready, lift it out and place on a floured surface. Oil the mixing bowl lightly, then place the dough back in. Cover tightly with clingfilm and leave to rise until doubled. It took only 45 minutes in my house, but it could take up to 2 hours.
  • Lightly oil a work surface (I just used my baking tray) and scrape the dough out onto it. Shape into an 8" long loaf.
  • Now lightly oil a 9x5 inch loaf tin and place the shaped loaf in it. Cover with clingfilm and set aside until it has risen almost double. The center of the loaf should be about 1 inch above the rim of the pan as it rises. Loosen the clingfilm as the loaf rises. This step took only 15 minutes for me but could take up to 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 175 C. Place the loaf tin in and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until browned on the top and firm, but not hard, to the touch. Cover with foil halfway through if it's browning too quickly. Let the loaf cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
  • Enjoy fresh with butter, honey, cream cheese, or as a meal with eggs. In Indian summers, it's best to store it in the fridge, it should last 3 or 4 days. Wholewheat flour breads will get a little drier and crumblier from day two onwards, so stick the slices in the toaster for the nicest texture :) Happy baking!

Notes

*This bread is very mildly sweet. If you'd like a more savoury flavour, use about 1 tbsp less of honey and add 1/4 tsp more salt. I haven't tried this myself but it shouldn't do any harm.
*A stand mixer is preferred here, but you can also make the dough in a mixing bowl and then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until soft, supple, with slight elasticity.
*Prep-time does not include rise time
*Adapted from King Arthur Flour