How to Make A Light Whole Wheat Loaf in The Bread Kitchen

Homemade Whole Wheat bread can be quite heavy but in this recipe I give some tips on how to make your whole wheat bread nice and light.

Ingredients

500 g (18 oz) strong wholemeal flour
400 ml (14 oz) lukewarm water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1½ tsp dried yeast


Instructions

Mix the water with the yeast and leave for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast/water and the oil. Mix to form a sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover and put in a warm place to allow the dough to double in size.
Knock back the dough on a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Press the dough out into a rectangle with the short side being the same size as the long side of your loaf tin. Roll the dough up starting from the short side. Tuck the ends under.
Place the dough in a lightly-greased loaf tin, cover with lightly-oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise until it just fills the tin.
Bake the bread at 190°C/375°F fan oven, 210°C/420°F normal oven, for 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes
Extra water is added into the dough compared with white flour because the bran and germ in whole wheat flour will absorb moisture too. A little oil can also help achieve a light loaf.

If you have time you can give the dough a second rise after knocking it back. Put it back in the greased bowl and cover as before. This too will help achieve a light loaf.

Don't skimp on the initial kneading. You need well-developed gluten to help the dough rise well before baking.