I make a lot of whole wheat bread at home. Generally, I bake two loaves at a time. We often have it for dinner or lunch and it saves me from the rigmarole of standing and making chapattis specially on days when I am exhausted. When the kids are hungry, it feels nice to give them home made bread with home made jam. The whole wheat bread available in the market has a very small percentage of whole wheat flour. It has a greater percentage of refined flour along with preservatives, emulsifiers, dough conditioners, acidity regulators and artificial colours. All this is avoidable. Whole wheat bread is easy to bake and great in taste. My kids love its taste so much that they don’t like the bread from the market.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour (atta)
4 tablespoons olive oil (any other oil can also be used)
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
4 tablespoons olive oil (any other oil can also be used)
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup water (quantity of water depends on requirement while kneading the flour)
1 cup water (quantity of water depends on requirement while kneading the flour)
Dissolve sugar in water and heat the water. When the water is warm, add instant yeast, mix well and cover the pan. In the meantime, sieve together flour and salt. Add olive oil and mix well. The water, sugar and yeast mixture should turn frothy in 15 minutes. Add this to flour and knead well for about ten minutes. The dough should be soft. It should not be sticky. Now shape it into a loaf of desired shape and place in a greased loaf tin. Cover with a damp cloth and keep it in a warm place for about an hour or more. During summers, the bread rises well and the process takes about an hour. During winters it can even take about two hours for the bread to rise well. Bake in a pre heated oven at 200 degrees C for 20 minutes or till the bread turns golden brown. Take it out of the oven after five minutes and remove it from the loaf tin. Brush the top with butter and keep it in the rack to cool.
This is the basic recipe for the home made bread. One can be very creative in adding different types of herbs, seeds and spices and thus make breads of different flavours.
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Whole wheat bread does not contain refined flour. Because of this, the bread is dense and crumbly.
Loved the slices! So perfect. do you use regular knife to slice home baked bread? I have never tried making a regular bread and have not tried slicing it regularly. I wonder if it would slice so evenly and straight!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nandita,
DeleteI love baking breads and am always on lookout for new varieties. I use regular knife for slicing.
You too have great recipes in your blog. I love your creativity in capturing your creations. Thank you for visiting my blog.
I just need to try this out - you have given such simple, easy instructions to follow, I feel confident!
ReplyDeleteHi Namita, love your recipes. Would u also give the quantities in your recipes in gms and ml pls. Tks
ReplyDeleteHello, Thank you for visiting my blog. I use the standard 240ml cup for my breads and cakes. After reading your comment, i have installed a conversion calculator in the top bar. Hope it helps. Please let me know.
ReplyDeleteHey Namita that was a quick response. For sure, the conversion calculator will assist me in my baking endeavor"s. Thank u for putting up healthy recipes
ReplyDeleteHello Gracy, I hope this calculator helps. Am going to add another set of conversions in the same page. Thank and happy baking!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Namita,
ReplyDeleteStill confused with the weight of whole wheat flour. How much does a cup of whole wheat flour weigh? Pls \help
In the first conversion provided, it works out to 110 g. In the second,conversion calculator, 1 cup flour = 120g and below 140g. Pls let me know where I am going wrong. Tks. Sorry for the trouble.
Hi Gracy,
ReplyDeleteI use 240ml cup which is 120g. Are you using a weighing machine? you may refer to the second measurement converter. Measurement cups that are commonly available at the shops are the standard 240ml cups. Also, use the standard measuring spoons. These are easily available at the stores.
Hope this helps. I am waiting for a nicely baked loaf from your kitchen:)
love and best wishes.
Hi Namita,
DeleteThis is Gracy here again
I finally did bake a loaf, a second one actually. I would like to send u a pic of the atta bread i baked. Since i had some gluten i added the same removing the same amount of flour. Wld u send me your email address pls.
Thanks once again for all the help. My address [email protected]
Gracy Machado
Love your recipes! Could you tell me the change in procedure if I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
ReplyDeleteHello Chaitra,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog. Chaitra, I am sending you some links where you can read about baking breads with active dry yeast. Let me know if it helps.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4506716_use-active-dry-yeast.html
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/yeastbreadtip.htm
Hi Namita,
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe!
I have tried a similar recipe but my dough never rose as much as I expected (it may be because of the winter season).
However, I wanted to ask you:
1. Does letting the yeast mixture to froth for 15 minutes make a difference?
2. Can I use unsifted flour? Will it affect the proving if I don't sift it?
I will anyways try the recipe this weekend.
Thanks,
Radhika
Hello Radhika, I use instant dry yeast. I find it very dependable. Active dry yeast needs to be activated. Sometimes, I activate instant dry yeast too. But that is just to ensure that it is working. Yes you are right, the dough does mot rise well during winters. In fact I refrain from baking breads during extreme cold. Sifting does not make much of a difference.
ReplyDeleteRadhika give me your e-mail Id. I shall give you links of some bread baking sites that have been of great help to me.
Love,
Namita
Hi Namita,
DeleteI tried it this weekend and it turned out great.
Crust was just right and the texture was dense and crumbly.
Thanks,
Radhika
Hi Namita,
ReplyDeleteI tried the bread recipe and after baking for about30 mins, when i cut the bread it was still doughy inside and was not done. Where could i have gone wrong? My baking tin was a little large. Did that make any diff?
Regards,
Chaitra
Hello Chaitra, A bigger baking tin will give you a flatter loaf. It will not make any difference in baking. Did you slice the loaf while it was still hot? I suggest that you slice it next day. Did the dough rise well?
ReplyDeletePlease let me know .
Hi Namita,
ReplyDeleteI sliced the loaf when it was hot. The dough did raise pretty well, although i'm not sure if it was double in size. I Am trying them again today. Will let you know how it goes. Will send you pics of the dough, before and after.
Tried it over the weekend and it came out beautifully!!! Loved it soo soo much.. Thanks for posting such wonderful recipes.
ReplyDeleteHi Namita,
ReplyDeleteBy any chance is there is a substitute for Yeast?.....Thx.
Hi Sheetal! you can bake breads without yeast. Breads without yeast are quick breads. I have made quick breads using whole wheat flour and oats. You can also try out soda breads. You can check out my "quick breads" section for recipes.
ReplyDeleteIs there any brand of instant yeast to use.. I used a brand called 'bakers' and it did not help dough to rise at all.... pl help
ReplyDeleteHi Sudha, the brand of instant dry yeast that I use if "Prime" . It comes in 500gms brick. There are many more brands in the market. You can also use active dry yeast. Activating the yeast will ensure that it will work. Do let me know if i can help you more.
ReplyDeleteHello namitaji
ReplyDeleteYou have kneaded this dough only once rather than twice..doesnt it make difference?
Hello Ekta, This bread was baked during the early days of my foray into baking. Yes most of the times the dough is made to rise once and then knocked and punched and made to rise after being shaped into a loaf. I have done this in all the whole wheat breads that I have baked recently. But surprisingly, this too worked fine. The bread had a great crumb. You may try it out this way also Ekta.
DeleteHi Namita,
ReplyDeleteYour breads are awesome. They look perfect. And i am actually a beginner. I dont know much about baking. I need ur help. Actually i have Baker's Fresh Yeast. I dont have Instant Yeast. So please tell me whether it is ok to use fresh yeast or not and also the quantity for Same whole wheat Bread. And i also want to know that how much water is needed to activate the yeast. Please help me out.
Hello! Thanks for visiting my site. I am happy that you want to bake your own bread. It is a wonderful experience....therapeutic and healing and a great stress buster too! I have been using instant dry yeast and it very reliable. Active dry yeast has to be activated first. I have never used fresh yeast. I am sending you a link. it is very helpful in understanding yeast. I hope this helps. Please let me know if i can help you ....i would love to do it. Best wishes!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.virtuousbread.com/bread-and-conversation/the-four-different-forms-of-yeast-and-how-to-use-them/
Hey..!
ReplyDeleteI got instant dry yeast. Now m gonna try all ur eggless recipes. Trust me.. I am a big fan of yours. You are an amazing human being and a superb cook. And I also tried ur whole wheat, oats and almond cookies and it came out really good. Thankyou so much.
I am so happy that you got instant dry yeast. welcome to the beautiful addictive world of bread baking. Believe me, the first loaf that comes out well gives great hapiness and a sense of achievement. Here is another link for you. This is about shaping and baking a basic loaf..Happy Baking!
Deletehttp://www.kingarthurflour.com/videos/bread-101-basic-white-bread-shaping-and-baking-the-loaf
Hello mam
ReplyDeleteI hv bn baking breads since som time nw..inspired by u..n they come out almost 90% perfect..thnx to u..n getting better by each attempt..
Bt yesterday whn i ws making bread after both rising of kneaded dough whn i removed the covering cloth it got flattened..though it had risen very well both the times..it became flat like a burst tyre..what may be the reason..am confused..pls help..
Hello Ekta, firstly congratulations that most of your breads come out well. Sometimes even after having baked so many breads, i too get disappointed with the results. But that does not mean that you should not try further. Infact, every failure makes you a more experienced baker. Did the cloth pull the dough and flatten it? or did the dough rise for too long and collapse? In either case, you should have kneaded the dough for a minute or two and shaped into a loaf. Anyway Ekta goodluck next time!
DeleteThnx namitaji for yr prompt reply..yes it got flattened while pulling the cloth..after first rise i kneaded it..bt aftr second rise as it ws in a loaf tin itself i did nt knead it again..shd i hv kneaded it again..n yes i wl tak cr nxt time while removing the cloth..rather mak it oroperly wet..thnk u so much..
ReplyDeleteHello Ekta, You need not knead it again Ekta. Ekta I would also suggest that you try No Knead Whole Wheat Bread.It is a fool proof recipe and I also found it the tastiest bread.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to bake bread for a long time now, but was not sure if it would come out right. The moment I came across your blog, I wanted to give it a try. I just followed the instructions step by step and before I knew it, the bread was done.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much.
thanks fr the lovely recipe i baked this bread three times came out perfect.Thanks Namita i am inspired by your baking...:)
ReplyDeleteThank You for trying my recipe. I am honoured!
Deletehi
ReplyDeletei tried your recipe yesterday but the crust was somewhat hard,i had baked it at 200 degrees for 20 minutes,i wonder what went wrong :(...i only use the bottom rod for baking
Hello, you must keep the bread in the middle rack and use both the rods. Sometimes if the dough is not very supple or a little dry, the top and sides of the bread turn out hard. Please try again. I am sure that you'll get a perfect loaf
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeletei tried this recipe and it came out perfect. I am usually hopeless at baking, but inspired by your ideas. thanks very much
Hello Deepa,
DeleteThank You Deepa.
Hello Deepa,
DeleteThank You Deepa.
hi..i love your recipes...i tried baking bread...but it was dense...not as pretty as youirs
ReplyDeletealso the top and sides were very hard ...i baked it for 45 mins in microwave...as there was no browning for initial 20mins...pls help
Hello Stuti, I appreciate the fact that you tried your hand in baking a bread. Even if the first few results aren't as per your expectations, that doesn't mean you can't bake one. I am not too sure of baking in a microwave. Top and sides become hard due to baking for a long time. Stuti, if you intend to bake breads frequently, you must have an OTG. And yes, keep trying.....
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteWhen i tried the same recipe with Pillsbury multi grain aata the dough did not rise as much. the bread was dense but still soft and yummy. If i change the aata, or want to add coarser stuff like powdered oats, or chopped walnuts, how do i tweak the recipe?
deepa
Hello Deepa, Baking is all about experimenting. You may add any flour of your choice. Measurement should remain the same i.e 2 1/2 cups. Coarse flour will give a dense crumb. The bread might not rise too much but that does not matter as long as it tastes good and is healthy. Please let your imagination run wild and do share the results with me. Happy Baking!
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteThanks Namita for this recipe. I tried this recipe...I have used active dry yeast.The bread turned out good but I got taste and smell of yeast in it. What could be the reason?
Help appreciated ...Thanks again...
Hello, I am so happy that you got a perfect loaf that too with whole wheat. The bread does have a yeasty aroma that feels good. In your case if it is on the higher side, try reducing the quantity of yeast by half teaspoon or one teaspoon. This case, the bread will take a little longer to rise. Hope this helps. Do let me know your results.
Deletehii namita .. thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe , i tried this yeterday and it taste very gud .. but it was not as fluffy as yours .. i dont know where i went wrong ..
ReplyDeletei have used DCL instant yeast and ferment it for 15 mins after dissolving sugar in water .
what should be the temp of water .. it has to be warm or at normal temp .??
Hello Vandana, if you are using instant dry yeast, you can add it to flour directly or dissolve in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes to 15 minutes till it begins to foam. Another very important thing is kneading. You must knead till dough becomes really soft and supple. Whole wheat flour takes time to reach that stage. If you bake this bread often, you'll know the nuances. Happy Baking Vandana!
Deletethanks Namita
DeleteShall try it once again .
Hello Namita, I tried this bread today for my 15 months old daughter and I am happy to tell you that it has come out super. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHello Charandeep, So happy that your bread came out well. I hope you mst have enjoyed....there is nothing like freshly baked bread .....Love and blessings to your daughter.
DeleteNamita tried whole wheat bread for d first time n really come out well....kids loved it.thank u soo much for such easy recipe.can we make cake with yeast instead of baking powder n soda??.one more thing is yeast good for health
ReplyDeleteHello, I am so happy that you baked this bread and enjoyed it too! Thank You! Yeast is good for health. Bakers Yeast (Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces uvarum or Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a strain of yeast used in the baking industry of bread production which produces large amounts of carbon dioxide and is made by adding water to molasses. This yeast yields Beta 1 3 Glucans which support immunity.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried cakes with yeast, Here is a recipe link for you. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/yeasted-sugar-cake-14995
Can I use dry active yeast
ReplyDeleteHello Meera, I would prefer instant dry yeast over active dry yeast any day. But if you have active dry yeast, then first activate it. Process is same as mentioned in the recipe. If it foams and bubbles, use it. Else, discard it.
DeleteHi namita we have tired basic bread recipe I had few problems in this I didn't get perfect shape, we can't fold the bread it gets breaks up and forms crumbs so where could we be wrong please help for further information
ReplyDeleteHello Prashant, Here is a link on shaping breads. I am sure this will solve your issue....Happy Baking!
Deletehttp://www.kingarthurflour.com/videos/bread-101-basic-white-bread-shaping-and-baking-the-loaf
Namitaji! Many recipes r called raising 2times , but u r recipe called only one time, it's enough
ReplyDeleteHello Lakshmi, i have many bread recipes in my blog where the dough is made to rise twice. This recipe needs only one rise and comes out well. Hope you try it and love it.
DeleteHi,Thanks for your blog. Now I can get how to make whole wheat bread atta.
ReplyDeleteSuper recipe.am going to try it out soon..
ReplyDeleteThank You Swapna. Happy Baking!
Deletehi namita,this looks super easy! no double proofing required?? too good to be true:)
ReplyDeleteHello, this bread is from my early period of bread baking. I always made bread with this rceipe and was always happy with the results. Yes it requires single proofing. Hope you try it out :)
ReplyDeletei did try it out and it turned out amazing!!! thank u so much:)))
ReplyDeleteRuchi
Hello Ruchi, I am so happy that you baked this bread and loved it. I am going to post another very easy recipe of atta bread. Thank You Ruchi.
DeleteHi Namita, may i know the size of the loaf pan? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteShanta
Hello Shanta you may use 8x41/2 inch loaf pan. Happy baking!
Deletehello Namita, your bread is baked just perfect. i tried baking this but my loaf was dense. What can be the error i can't make out. Can you please write a post on all the details you apply in all types of bread baking. I will be obliged.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Abha
Hello Abha,
DeleteThe reason for your bread being dense could be less water. Sometimes a recipe calls for more or less water than specified because of the different variety of flour being used. The dough should be a little sticky. I recommend that you also try out a 50% wholegrain loaf. Here is one for you - http://www.ambrosiasoulfulcooking.com/2015/07/50-wholegrain-bread.html
It will give you an idea. Use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour in the recipe. Hope this helps. Happy Baking!
Hi Namita.. I'm gonna try my hand at all ur yum recipes.. Pls tell me this particular recipe yeilds 1 loaf or 2 and also pls mention the size on the loaf tin.
ReplyDeleteHello, Thank you for visiting my blog and trying out my recipes. This would yeild one standard size loaf. I use the standard loaf pan that measures 8 inches x 1/2 inches.Hope your bread comes out well. Do share your experience.
Deletethe loaf pan measures 8 inches x 4 1/2 inches.
DeleteHi Namia. Can I substitute Sugar with Honey while adding to the Yeast?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Shine, that would be really a very flavourful Whole Wheat Honey Bread. Happy Baking!
DeleteHello Binu, Sugar helps to activate the yeast. Hope you kneaded the dough really well and also that your yeast was active. Bread rise also depends on temperature, humidity, yeast etc etc. I don't use very coarse flour as it does not rise well and the crumb comes out dense.
ReplyDeleteHi. I love all your recipes and regularly bake your breads. I have been using this as my go to atta bread recipe. Although it turns out great my bread never rises over the side of the bread tin. Can you please tell me what size tin to use. Also if you can recommend a tin on amazon I would be really grateful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Xxx
Hello! thank you so much for trying out the recipes from the blog :)
DeleteThis is a small loaf. a 7x3 inches loaf pan will give you a tall loaf here. However, a standard loaf has 3 1/2 cups of flour. for that you require 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan (refer to this recipe https://www.ambrosiasoulfulcooking.com/2015/03/whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-atta-bread.html )
The laof pans are available on Amazon. I would suggest Dr. Oetker's brand. It is a bit expensive but very good. American pans is another good brand. Personally, i use a loaf pan that I got made in my local bazaar. You can see it in the recipe link above. Happy Baking!
Hello, I mentioned American Pans. Sorry, its USA pans :)
DeleteHey Namita I recently bought a pan 10*4*4 .
ReplyDelete1. What would be the appropriate qty of flour in a recipe to make a proper bread in this Pullman loaf .
2.how should this recipe be scaled up?
Hello Mohita, I guess I have answered your query in fb page of the blog. I suggest that you try this recipe for the size of the pan mentioned by you. This is the recipe of whole wheat sandwhich bread - http://www.ambrosiasoulfulcooking.com/2015/03/whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-atta-bread.html
ReplyDeleteHappy Baking!
Hi Namita
ReplyDeleteBaked first bread of my life with this recipe so glad to inform you that it came out quite well though it was not as fluffy and large as shown in your pic but am happy
Pl share the link for garlic bread thanks