Crusty Wheat Bread - just the recipe

Here is the recipe and directions all together from yesterday's tutorial. This way you can print it and use it easier. For pictures and tutorial of how to make the bread, click here.

Crusty Wheat Bread

2 packages or 2 Tbsp active dry yeast

1 ¾ cups warm water (105° – 115°)

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
1/2 cup oatmeal

2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (optional)

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 – 3 cups bread flour

Olive oil

Step 1: Pour the warm water into mixing bowl and add the yeast and sugar. Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes to proof.

Step 2: Add the salt, lemon juice, and oatmeal to the yeast mixture, stir. Add the wheat flour and vital wheat gluten (if using). Stir just until slightly combined.

Step 3: Add 2 cups of bread of flour and allow mixer to knead until dough comes together in a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If still very sticky once the 2 cups of flour have been kneaded in, add ½ cup of bread flour at a time until dough comes together, allowing each addition of flour to be kneaded in before adding more.

Step 4: Using a rubber spatula, scrape dough in the bowl into a ball. Drizzle olive oil (about a Tbsp) around the edges of the dough and use the spatula to turn the dough ball in the oil so that the entire ball is lightly covered in the oil. Put a clean towel over the bowl and set aside to rise for about an hour. 

Quick rise method: Let dough rest in bowl for 5-10 minutes, then skip to step 5 to shape loaves and place in sprayed or oiled pans. Instead of rising on the counter, place in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. Then continue to normal baking at 450 degrees for 16-18 minutes. 

Step 5: Once dough has risen to about double, turn out dough on to a clean and lightly floured surface. Cut pile of dough in half, then lightly knead and shape each ½ into desired loaf shape. Make sure to get air bubbles out. Once loaf is shaped, cut a few slits across the top with a knife and place in greased or oiled loaf pans.

Step 6: Unless using the quick rise method, cover with clean towel again and let rise for about another hour.

Step 7: Once loaves have risen, place in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Bread is done when top is crusty brown and loaf makes a “thump” sound when tapped with a finger. Immediately turn out loaves onto a wire rack to cool (leaving in hot pans causes the bread to “sweat” and get soggy). 

Storing bread: Don’t store bread in the fridge because this causes it to dry out. Once completely cooled, it is best to keep one loaf out to eat (stored in a sealed container or bag) and put the other in a Ziploc freezer bag in the freezer. Whenever you are ready to eat the other loaf, remove from freezer and place on a plate or rack to thaw. It will taste just as fresh as when it was first made!