100% Wholemeal Loaf Bread
A hearty wholemeal bread made with strong wholemeal flour, yeast, olive oil, and water. The dough is divided into two loaves, scored with a diamond pattern, and baked with steam for a crisp crust and tender crumb.
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Ingredients
- 480 g Room-temperature water
- 20 g Fresh yeast (Alternatively, use 10 g fast-action dried yeast; crumbled if using fresh yeast.)
- 700 g Strong wholemeal bread flour (Plus extra for dusting.)
- 12 g Salt
- 30 g Olive oil
- Wholemeal bread flour for dusting (Use as needed for the work surface, dough, and loaves.)
- Water for steaming (Hot water from a half-filled kettle, poured into the deep roasting tray.)
Steps
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, stir the room-temperature water and crumbled fresh yeast together until the yeast has dissolved. If using fast-action dried yeast, stir it into the water instead.
- 2
Add the wholemeal flour and salt. Mix with a dough scraper until the ingredients begin to come together.
- 3
Add the olive oil and mix again until a rough dough forms and no large dry patches remain.
- 4
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Knead it without adding any extra flour for about 8 minutes, until it becomes more cohesive and elastic.
- 5
Shape the dough into a ball and return it to the mixing bowl. Lightly sprinkle the top with flour, cover the bowl with a clean cloth, and leave it to rest at room temperature for 1½ hours.
- 6
Lightly dust the dough, then use a dough scraper to turn it out upside down onto the work surface so the sticky side is facing up.
- 7
Use your fingertips to gently flatten the dough. Cut it in half with the dough scraper.
- 8
Fold and roll each portion into a ball, then cup each ball with your hands to tighten its surface.
- 9
Line up the two dough balls on the work surface. Dust only their tops lightly with flour, cover them with the cloth, and let them rest for 15 minutes so they can relax and spread slightly.
- 10
Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- 11
Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Working with one dough ball at a time, slide the dough scraper underneath to release it, then flip it sticky side up onto the floured surface.
- 12
Shape each piece again into a firm, neat ball, tightening the surface without tearing the dough.
- 13
Place the shaped loaves seam-side down on the lined baking tray, spacing them as far apart as possible so they do not touch as they expand.
- 14
Dust the loaves generously with flour. Using a small serrated knife, carefully make five or six diagonal cuts across each loaf, approximately 5 mm deep. Turn the tray and repeat the scoring to create a diamond pattern.
- 15
Cover the loaves with the clean cloth and leave them to rest for 1–12 hours, until visibly puffed.
- 16
Toward the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 200°C with a rack in the middle. Place a deep roasting tray on the oven floor and half-fill a kettle with water.
- 17
Boil the kettle. Carefully place the baking tray with the loaves on the middle oven rack, then pour the hot water into the deep roasting tray below to create steam.
- 18
Bake the loaves for 30–35 minutes, until deeply browned and baked through.
- 19
Transfer the loaves to a wire rack and let them cool completely before slicing.
Notes
The source specifies a final resting time of 1–12 hours. Steam from the hot-water tray helps develop the crust. Do not slice until the loaves have cooled completely.
Nutrition per serving
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