Dough ingredients
You can use white flour, but we like to use whole wheat flour for more flavour. The bread is a bit denser this way but healthier and more filling. When mixing different types of flour, you might end up with a different consistency. Sticky dough is better than non-sticky dough. We recommend adding more water to the dough. That will help the dough rise more in the oven.
- 500 grams flour (white, whole wheat, or combine with other types of flour)
- 20 grams fresh yeast / 8 grams instant yeast
- 50 millilitres of maple syrup or honey
- 300 millilitres lukewarm water
- 5 grams of salt
- 50 millilitres of olive oil
Bread toppings, additions and substitutes
Here is a list of ingredients you can use to make this base bread recipe more exciting! But be aware that it might change the consistency of the bread. These are just ideas for you to experiment with and by no means necessary.
- Dough additions
- Raisins, currants or other dried fruits (dates, plums, apricots)
- You can chop them up or soak them in warm water.
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, pine nuts, walnuts)
- Just like the dried fruit, chop them up or soak them in warm water.
- Herbs
- Rosemary, dill, oregano are the three most popular.
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin C helps the yeast in the proofing process. It won’t be necessary for white bread, but a good addition if you use whole grains. You can buy powdered in food stores, or you can add fresh pressed lemon juice.
- Raisins, currants or other dried fruits (dates, plums, apricots)
- Dough ingredient substitutes
- Replace the water with milk or milk alternatives (like almond milk)
- Replace the oil with yogurt
- Make a combination of white flour and rye or spelt
- Bread toppings
- Coarse salt
- Rosemary
- Sumac
Instructions for your new favourite bread recipe
When baking bread, the temperature is key. Make sure wherever you can to stay within a 25-35 Celcius (77F-95F) range. This will benefit the yeast growth the best.
Bread preparation
Measure out the yeast and lukewarm water in a measuring cup. You can add honey, maple syrup or other sweeteners (including dried fruits if you use them). Mix until the yeast is dissolved and let stand until the yeast is activated. You will see it forms bubbles on top of the water. 10 to 15 minutes
In the meantime, measure out the flour, salt and any other ingredient you want to add to your bread. Combine them in your stand mixer bowl. If you want to knead by hand, use the largest bowl you have.
Kneading the bread
Using a stand mixer
Slowly add the liquid to the flour and let them combine. You might have to stop the machine and use a spatula to mix it through.
If you notice that the dough doesn’t blend very well, try kneading it by hand a little bit before adding more liquid. When you do add more liquid, only use a tablespoon at a time.
Kneading by hand
I like to use a big bowl instead of my counter because it is easier to keep everything clean.
Make a well in the flour and add the liquid. You can use a fork to incorporate the ingredients. Roll up your sleeves and knead the dough for about 15 minutes.
Bread proofing and forming
Some ovens have a proofing function. You can also let the bread rise in a warm spot. Or get a special bread proofer.
The ideal temperature is 35 Celsius (95F). Anything above would slow it down. Above 45C and the yeast dies.
Cover the bowl with the bread in it with plastic wrap. This will keep the moisture in. Let it rise for an hour and take it out and onto your counter.
Now we form the bread. The possibilities are endless. You can use a parchment-lined loaf pan. Form them into sliders or burger buns. You can make a braided bread or baguette shape. Youtube has beautiful ideas for you
After you formed your bread, it is time to let it rise one more time for about 30 minutes. You can preheat your oven to 200 C (375F).
Baking bread
Do not use the convection setting. The air circulation would prevent the bread from rising in the oven. The baking process varies. But after 30 minutes you want to keep a closer eye on the bread. For a standard loaf it will take aboutt 40 to 50 minutes to be ready. To be most accurate, you can insert a meat thermometer after 10 minutes of baking. The bread is fully cooked when you hit an internal temperature of about 90 Celcius (194F).
Storing your bread
After baking, let the bread rest in the form for 10 minutes and let it cool down on a rack. Store your bread in a closed container or a plastic bread at room temperature. The bread will stay good for about 4 to 7 days
For more recipes, visit our recipe archive