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4.9 from 27 votes

Wholemeal Bread Recipe

This Wholemeal Bread Recipe is easy, no knead and perfect for beginners. Ready to bake in two hours and absolutely foolproof. Nothing beats freshly baked homemade bread!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: 2260 kcal
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 ½ cups (570g) whole wheat flour plus extra for dusting and worktop
  • 2 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast see notes if using dry active yeast
  • 2 cups (500ml) lukewarm water or beer
  • 2 tbsp sugar , or maple syrup
  • ½ tbsp salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Measure the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast, sugar and salt. Stir to combine dry ingredients.
  2. Pour the water into the bowl and mix it in with a spoon or a dough hook until thoroughly combined. You should have a sticky, shaggy dough.
  3. Cover your mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place to prove for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. On a cold day it can take up to 90 minutes for the dough to rise.
  4. Sprinkle the worktop with plenty of flour. Tip the dough on it and sprinkle with a little flour – it will be sticky (that's how it should be). Line a bowl or banneton basket with baking paper and dust with flour.
  5. Use a pastry scraper to fold the edges over towards the centre to create a round loaf.
  6. Carefully cup the loaf in your hands and transfer into the prepared bowl seam side down or the banneton seam side up. Loosely cover with a plastic bag.
  7. Preheat the oven to 220°C (420°F) and place a cast iron pot on a lower shelf to preheat for 30 minutes while the bread is having its second rise.
  8. Slice the bread using a sharp knife or lame. Carefully remove the pot from the oven (it will be very hot so use oven mitts or pot holders).
  9. Lift the bread out of the bowl using the baking paper and drop into the pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  10. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pot – it should sound hollow if tapped on the underside. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing

Notes

  • USING DRY ACTIVE YEAST
  • NO KNEAD SKILLET BREAD
  • You can use a cast iron skillet to bake the bread instead of a Dutch oven. The bread will have a slightly different shape, a bit more spread out, but will still taste just as delicious!
  • Prepare the dough as per instructions up to the first rise. Oil your cast iron skillet and sprinkle with a little semolina. Shape the loaf and transfer into the skillet for the second rise (30 minutes) while you preheat the oven.
  • Slice the loaf. Place a roasting tray on the lowest oven shelf and the skillet on a shelf above it. Throw a handful of ice cubes into the roasting tin you placed on bottom shelf. Place the skillet on shelf above. The steam created by the melting ice cubes will help your bread to rise. I found that the bread baked quicker in a skillet, needing 30-40 minutes overall. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 2260kcal (113%) Carbohydrates 475g (158%) Protein 68g (136%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 3514mg (146%) Potassium 831mg (24%) Fiber 23g (92%) Sugar 36g (72%) Vitamin A 63IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 110mg (11%) Iron 27mg (150%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1loaf

Amount Per Serving

Calories 2260

% Daily Value*

Calories 2260kcal 113%
Carbohydrates 475g 158%
Protein 68g 136%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 3514mg 146%
Potassium 831mg 18%
Fiber 23g 92%
Sugar 36g 72%
Vitamin A 63IU 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 110mg 11%
Iron 27mg 150%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.