Key Takeaways:
- Simple Ingredients, Extraordinary Results
Artisan bread requires only four basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. The magic happens when these ingredients are combined to create a delicious loaf. - No-Knead Technique for Artisan Results
The stretch-and-fold method (envelope fold technique) simplifies bread-making while yielding professional-quality artisan bread with a tender crumb and crispy crust. - Boost Nutrition with Ancient Grains
Incorporating ancient grains like farro, millet, and Kamut adds nutrients and fiber, promoting brain health while enhancing the flavor and texture of your bread. - Step-by-Step Perfection
Allow the dough to rest and rehydrate, and use envelope folds and resting intervals to develop structure and flavor. Gentle handling is key to preserving the dough’s gas pockets for airy loaves. - Steam Creates a Crisp Crust
Misting the loaf with water before and during baking helps achieve the signature crispy crust of artisan bread. Using a baking stone or steel enhances the loaf’s bottom texture. - Monitor for Perfect Baking
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 210–212°F, ensuring a fully cooked loaf. Use foil to prevent over-browning and rotate the loaf for even baking.
Artisan Bread gives me the smell of freshly baked bread wafting from my kitchen, filling the house with its aroma. It transports me back to my younger years when my mom or sisters made bread for our family of 12. Yes, 12, that was a lot of bread. It wasn’t what we now call artisan bread, but it was just as wholesome, healthy, and delicious.
I think those days and that wonderful smell was the beginning of my love of baking bread. Growing up, I had plenty of opportunities to learn the basic skills and principles of bread baking. I’ll be honest there were times I would have preferred not to be in the kitchen baking bread. However, when it was my turn to bake, that was not an option. I would have to devote nearly a whole day to making 12 loaves of bread. The method I learned involved lots of kneading of the bread dough.
How to Make Artisan Whole-Grain Bread
A basic bread has four simple ingredients, flour, water, salt, and yeast. That’s it! Anything else is extra bonus ingredients. When you mix these four ingredients together, magic happens. They transform into the most amazing and delicious food we call bread. Let’s create magic and make some artisan bread!!!
SIS - Simple is Smart Tip
A few years ago, I discovered a book by Peter Reinhart on bread baking that challenged my beliefs on how to make bread. He teaches a no-knead, stretch, and fold method for making bread. This method took my bread from delicious but ordinary to artisan and extraordinary. I call this technique the envelope fold technique.
Neuro Nutrition Nugget - Ancient Grains
Ancient grains are grains that have remained largely unchanged over the past several centuries. Today, most whole grains fall in this category except for modern wheat. These grains are also superfoods, rich in nutrients and fiber.
Ancient grains are truly amazing when it comes to boosting brain health! Not only are they incredibly delicious, but they also provide a wide range of nutrients that are essential for our brain’s well-being. These grains are packed with fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps our brain sharp and focused throughout the day. Additionally, ancient grains contain vitamins like vitamin E and B vitamins, which play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy brain. They are also rich in antioxidants, which protect our brain cells from damage caused by free radicals. So, next time you reach for the sncient grains when you make a loaf of bread and know that you’re doing your brain a huge favor!
Step by Step for Artisan Bread.
- Measure the flour into your mixing bowl. Weighing the flour will give you the best result. If you don’t have a scale to weigh the flour, hop over to my Youtube video on measuring flour. You will be glad you did because it will keep your bread from becoming dry and crumbly. I used bread flour. However, you can use half whole wheat and half bread flour. If you want to use 100% whole wheat flour, add two tablespoons of whole grain bread improver to the flour.
- I make my own mix of whole grains. I use what I have handy at the time I make the mix. I mix together equal parts of any combination of cracked wheat, rolled oats, steel-cut oats, hulled sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds. I love to use the ancient grains farro, amaranth, teff, freekeh, millet, and Kamut. If you can find cracked varieties of the ancient grain, use them. If not, I briefly pulse a mixture of ancient grains in the Vitamix or Blendtec blender to break them up and assist with softening by helping them absorb moisture. If you have only a few varieties, use what you have. There is no perfect combination. It is a matter of what you have and what you like to use in your artisan bread.
- Cover and let rest for 15 minutes (this rehydrates the flour).
4. Envelope fold the dough four times. Cover the dough with the mixing bowl between the envelope folds. The dough has to rest for 20 minutes between each stretch and fold, so this part of the process will take an hour.
- Stir the ingredients for your bread together with a spoon. The dough will be very shaggy.
- Let the dough rest for five minutes, and do the first envelope fold. Place about a Tbsp of oil on the countertop and make an oil slick.
- Place the dough on the oil and stretch the dough into a rough square about 9 X 9 inches. Fold the bottom 3 inches up and the top 3 inches down. Press together.
- Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat step three.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Repeat two more times with 20-minute rest intervals between. Then place the dough in a bowl and cover it. Let the dough rise for one hour and form your loaves of artisan bread.
5. After the last envelope fold, place the dough back in your mixing bowl, and cover with plastic wrap until the dough doubles in size. Once the dough has doubled, shape the dough into two batards or one round rustic loaf. You want to retain the gas trapped in little pockets throughout the dough when shaping the loaves. So treat the dough gently and don’t degas the dough.
6. Spread some of the wholegrain mixtures on a piece of parchment paper—mist with some water, and roll the loaf in the grains. The water helps the grains stick to the loaf.
7. Cover the loaves with plastic wrap, and let the loaf rise until almost double. Cut three slashes in the top of the loaf, mist the loaf with water, and bake
Baking your Artisan Bread
The crisp crust on the artisan bread of whole-grain is partly a result of steam during the early part of the baking process. Mist the loaf with some water just before placing it in the oven. Then briefly open the oven door and remist the loaf at one minute, two minutes, and three minutes after placing the loaf in the oven.
Baking the loaf on a baking steel or stone will give a crispier bottom to the loaf.
If the loaf is getting over-browed, gently tent the loaf with aluminum foil. Rotate the position of the loaf in the oven to prevent uneven browning.
Lastly, bake the loaf until the internal temperature reaches 210 – 212-degrees F ( 99 – 100 degrees C) with an instant-read thermometer.
Time to cut off a piece of warm bread, spread it with butter, add a generous spoon of homemade jam, and YUM!!!
Pop on over to my social media sites, where you’ll find exclusive Doctor Jo’s pictures of what’s new in my gardens. Also, what new recipes I’m creating in my kitchen. I love your comments. So let me know what you think in the Leave a Reply section at the end of this blog. Please leave your first name at the end of your comment so I can reply to you by name.
FAQ:
Is homemade whole grain bread healthy?
Homemade whole grain bread is not only healthy, but it is also incredibly delicious! When you use whole grain flour, you’re adding an extra dose of nutrition to every slice. Whole grain bread is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a great choice for a balanced diet. Plus, when you make it at home, you have control over the ingredients, ensuring that there are no added preservatives or artificial flavors.
What makes a bread 100% whole grain?
Unlike refined bread, which has been stripped of its nutrients, whole grain bread contains all parts of the grain – the bran, germ, and endosperm. This means that you are getting all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals that the grain has to offer. And that’s not all! Whole grain bread also has a rich and nutty flavor that adds an extra dimension to any sandwich or toast.
How do you make sure your bread is whole grain?
When it comes to ensuring that your bread is whole grain, there are a few key things to look for. Firstly, check the ingredient list. Whole grain bread should have whole grains listed as one of the first ingredients, ideally within the top three. Additionally, look for key words such as “whole wheat” or “whole grain” on the packaging. These terms indicate that the bread is made from the entire grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. It’s also important to be mindful of misleading labels. Just because a bread is labeled as “wheat” or “multigrain” doesn’t necessarily mean it is whole grain. Be sure to read the label carefully and look for specific indications that it is indeed whole grain.
What makes whole grain bread so hard to bake?
Whole grain bread is notoriously difficult to bake due to a few key factors.
- Firstly, the high fiber content of whole grains makes the dough denser and harder to work with. The bran and germ in whole grains can interfere with gluten development, resulting in a less elastic dough that is difficult to shape and rise properly.
- Additionally, whole grains tend to absorb more moisture than refined grains, leading to a drier dough that can result in a dense and crumbly texture.
- Finally, whole grain breads often require longer baking times to ensure that the interior is fully cooked, which can be challenging to achieve without over-browning the crust.
- Overall, the unique characteristics of whole grains present a complex set of challenges for bakers when it comes to achieving the perfect loaf of bread.
If you love seeded breads, I have the perfect recipe for you: Seeded Rye Bread.
Artisan Whole-grain Bread
Equipment
- To see the ingredient amounts in metric units, click the blue "METRIC:" button between the ingredients and the instructions for this recipe.
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
Ingredients
- 4½ cups bread flour (see notes for whole wheat flour)
- 1½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp yeast (1 packet) instant
- 1 cup whole grains (plus about 1/3 cup more for coating the outside) see notes for information on whole grains
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together with a mixing spoon. The dough will be very rough and shaggy
- Let dough rest 15 minutes
- Make an oil slick on the counter and do four envelope folds at 20-minute intervals.
- After the last envelope fold, place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise until nearly double - about an hour.
- After the dough has doubled, remove it from the bowl and split it in half. Form each rustic loaf as shown in the video. Much of the gas in the dough should remain in the loaf to give it small air pockets after baking.
- Gently roll the dough in the whole grains to lightly coat the outside of the loaf. Misting the loaf with water helps the wholegrains stick to the loaf.
- Place loaves on a large parchment-lined baking sheet without a lip. If you don't have one without a lip you can bake the loaves on the baking sheet.
- Loosely cover the loaves with plastic wrap and let loaves rise nearly double. About 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 C) while the loaves are rising.
- Just before baking make 3 horizontal slashes with a sharp knife. Mist the loaves with water from a spray bottle.
- Place loaves on baking steel by sliding the parchment with the loaves off the baking sheet. For an extra crispy crust, mist loaves every 60 seconds for the first 3 minutes of baking.
- Bake loaves for 12 minutes at 450 degrees and then decrease the temperature to 400 degrees and bake another 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 210 - 212 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. If the loaves start to over-brown loosely tent them with foil. If your oven has a hot spot move the loaves around to allow them to brown evenly.
Video
Notes
Depending on the time of year and the humidity levels in your kitchen. If you have high humidity your dough may be super sticky. you may need to add an additional 1/2 cup (60g) of bread flour to the recipe. Whole grains: I make my mix of whole grains. I use what I have handy at the time I make the mix. I mix equal parts of any combination of cracked wheat, rolled oats, steel cut oats, hulled sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds; I love to use the ancient grains farro, amaranth, teff, freekeh, millet, and Kamut. I very coarsely grind the ancient grains before I use them. If you don't have a grain mill look for cracked varieties of the ancient grain, use them. If not, briefly pulse a mixture of ancient grains in the Vitamix or Blendtec blender to break them up. This helps them absorb moisture and soften. If you have only a few of the suggested grains, use what you have. There is no perfect combination. It is a matter of what you have and what you like. Sprinkle about 1/3 of a cup of the whole grains on your work surface to roll the loaves in. You can use more or less depending on how many whole grains you want on the outside of the loaf. Egg wash or a little corn syrup and water(dairy-free) also work well for helping the grains adhere to the loaf. Don't put the Egg wash or corn syrup and water in a spray bottle. There is usually some flour on the outside of the loaf, or very lightly dust the loaf with some flour. Then, if you mist the loaf with a little water, the water and flour form a "paste" that also works great for gluing the grains to the loaf. If you don't have baking steel, you can bake the bread on a sheet pan. The steel will give a crispier crust.
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I made it last night and we’ve already gone through a whole loaf. Only had oats on hand out the whole grains on the list, but mixed in some flax, chia and poppyseeds too. Delicious and easy – Loved the stretch and fold method! Will definitely make again.
I made my loaves with everything bagel seasoning. Turned out really good
Great idea thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the recipe. I’ve been looking for a no-knead recipe with seeds for a long time. Clear instructions. Pictures and video so wonderful. Just one question: metric ~ the amount of the kernels is written 236 is the amount of a cup of water. Guess it’s a mistake? What is the amount in grams of grain? Thank you
Hello Efrat I’m delighted that you tried the recipe. The grams for the grains or kernels is 236 grams and the grams for the water is 473 g or 236 milliliters of water. Maybe that is where the confusion comes in as the grams for the grains and the milliliters of water are the same.
Thank you for the question.
I am confused! You said “mix all ingredients together” in step 1 – well, if I used the 1cup whole grains in the dough, then how much doI use to coat the outside?
1 cup whole grains (plus about 1/3 cup more for coating the outside) see notes for information on whole grains
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I just made it and it turn out really good.It was 10 in the evening when I finished baking ,I started late,my husband cant stop eating.👌
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Such an easy bread to make with wonderful results! Delicious! I added a scant tablespoon of dried onion flakes the second time I made it – mmmm good!
I started making this recipe when I decided I wanted to incorporate ancient grains into bread. WOW!! We LOVE IT!! It comes out fantastic every time!! Thank you Dr Jo! Will definitely try your other recipes as we love “all things organic, natural and healthy”!! ~Mary
I am delighted to hear you are enjoying this recipe. It is one of my favorites also.
Have you tried using some whole wheat flour instead of some of the all purpose flour?
I often substitute about 1/4 of the white flour with whole wheat and honestly, I can’t tell the difference. More than 25% gives a heavier, denser loaf of bread.
Using your delicious and easy recipe as a base, I substituted 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour for some of the all purpose, added 1 TBS dough enhancer and threw in a spoonful of sour dough cast off for good measure. It was sooo good! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
BRAVO! I love all of the substitutions.
My new favorite bread recipe!
Awesome
My first time making bread, it has always been so intimidating to me but you’re recipe was easy to follow so thank you! My husband who is Portuguese and loves his bread said it was the best bread he’s ever tasted so double win! I have one question, can I use white whole wheat flour instead? Or will it change it that dramatically?
YAY, Thank you for the great comment. You can use half white whole wheat and half all-purpose flour. Increase the yeast to 2 tsp. and add 2 Tbsp vegetable oil to the water.
If you are feeling adventuresome use all white whole wheat and add 1/4 of a cup of oil to the water. Keep the yeast at 2 tsp. Let me know how it comes out. Happy Baking.
This is an easy to follow recipe. Very simple and delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing it. Love it!!
Hi- I am not sure what a baking steel is. I just started making bread and have only used a Dutch oven thus far. I can’t really tell from the picture. The ones I’ve seen look like cookie sheets…
Hello, and you can use the dutch oven to bake the loaf of bread in this recipe. I prefer an oblong vs round loaf of bread and the steel lets me shape and bake the loaf as a baguette, an oblong loaf, or a round loaf and still get a nice crispy crust. A baking steel is a solid piece of steel that is usually about 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. It is a very heavy piece of metal. If you make homemade pizza or want to make homemade pizza, the baking steel is an awesome way to get that pizza oven crispy light crust on your homemade pizza.
With using the Dutch oven do you leave the bread covered during the entire baking process or uncover the Dutch oven at the end? Assuming same oven temperature and cooking time. Thank you!
Yes, take the lid of the Dutch Oven off the last 10-15 minutes of baking to let the top brown up and get nice and crispy. Enjoy.
Thank you and can’t wait to try this recipe using my Dutch oven. When blending all the ingredients in step 1 does the temperature of the water matter to help activate the yeast? The Instant Yeast packet shares that the temperature of the liquid should be between 120-130 degrees F. So appreciate all your help!
Just 1 teaspoon of yeast?
Thank you and can’t wait to try this recipe using my Dutch oven. When blending all the ingredients in step 1 does the temperature of the water matter to help activate the yeast? The Instant Yeast packet shares that the temperature of the liquid should be between 120-130 degrees F. So appreciate all your help!
So happy you are trying this recipe. No need to measure the temperature of the water. Let the water run until it is lukewarm to the touch. That is warm enough to activate the yeast. Your ingredients should be at room temperature. If you store your grains in the fridge or freeze them. Measure out what you need for the recipe and let them warm up before using them. Your bread will still rise if the ingredients are cooler, it just takes longer.
Thank you again for all your help!
If this is your first time baking with your Dutch Oven you might want to read a great blog on using a dutch oven to bake bread. Here is a link to it. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2017/07/05/baking-in-a-cold-dutch-oven This link is for baking in a cold dutch oven. Here is one for baking in a preheated dutch oven. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2017/02/21/bread-baking-dutch-oven Both articles give great detailed instructions for baking bread with your new Dutch Oven.
One packet or two teaspoons.
The amount of flour doesn’t change when I change the serving size. Says 567 g no matter what. Can you correct this please
Hmmm not sure why it isn’t changing on your computer. When I change the servings slider it changes all of the ingredients accordingly.
This bread is delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and it was is amazing. I love a nutty bread. My only question is how would you store it? In a paper bag or plastic?
I store it in plastic. Because it has no preservatives it doesn’t keep for more than 4 or 5 days. However in my house it is usually gone in 2 or 3 days.
delicious! crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside!
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
UNBELIEVABLE!!! Incredibly light and fluffy and delicious and crunchy and flavorful…it’s really a dream of a bread! It didn’t rise a ton, but was still fluffy and soft–but that might be because I used a clay bread pan and didn’t pre-heat it; next time I’ll try on my pre-heated pizza stone. I’ve been working on sourdough since early September, only 1 successful loaf. I have a favorite white sandwich loaf, an artisan Italian white, and of course the no knead that everyone knows about from the NY Times. But this is truly the most tasty and exciting bread I’ve made in years! I halved the recipe and only made one loaf–but we nearly went through it all tonight…will need to make another soon! Will share with all my “bread” friends!
AWESOME! I’m glad you loved this recipe. It’s been a favorite of mine for years.
I’m trying to see how far I can go with this “healthy” bread thing…instead of 1/2 bread flour and 1/2 wheat flour, I did 1/2 bread flour, 1/4 wheat flour and 1/4 sprouted spelt. Came out pretty good!
Adding a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and ascorbic acid (vitamin C tablet) to your bread with a higher whole grain content will improve the loaf. The extra gluten adds structure by forming protein bonds that allow the dough to form gas bubbles that make the bread rise. The ascorbic acid (vitamin C) aids in gluten development and helps the dough rise better. The overall result is a lighter loftier loaf. With Vital wheat gluten, more isn’t better as extra will make it chewy and harder to digest.
King Arthur Flour makes a product they call whole grain bread improver that is vital wheat gluten, ascorbic acid, soy flour and inactive yeast.
Heading to WholeFoods now! 😉 (I read that ginger or vinegar can work as an improver too.)
OK, I ran out and was able to find vital wheat gluten from Bob’s Red Mill. As it happens, I have a loaf in it’s last proof right at this moment…do you think it’s worth adding a teaspoon or so and kneading it in? Or will that ruin the rise that it gained during this last proof? Otherwise I can certainly wait and try adding with the flour in my next loaf. And will definitely report back on how that worked! Thank you so much for engaging in comments with me!
Can something like Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal be substituted for the whole grains?
Yes that should work. It might give a bit of a heavier loaf as the hot cereal is whole grains that are ground or chopped up.
Can I use salted sunflower seeds?
If you only have salted sunflower seeds, I would rinse them to get most of the salt off. Then yes you can use them in the recipe.
You have two differing internal temps one in the instructions and one in the recipe which is correct.?
The temperature in the recipe is correct. I’ve corrected the temperature in the blog. The internal temperature should be 210 – 212 degrees F or 99 – 100 degrees C.
What is the correct baking temperature and length if I’m making one round loaf in the Kitchen Aid bread bowl – reduced the recipe to 70% to fit the Kitchen Aid bread bowl. Should I bake at 450 for 30 min, then cover off to brown for 10 min? Thank you
Bake the loaf at 375 degrees F. (preheat oven). Check the internal temperature after 35 minutes if the temperature is less than 210 degrees F. Continue baking until the internal temperature in the middle of the loaf is 210 degrees F. Because the bowl is ceramic, the heat from the bowl should brown the loaf of bread. If the bread isn’t browned after 35 minutes, leave the bowl off to let the loaf brown up.
Only my 2nd time baking bread and this recipe came out brilliant. I was wondering if there is a way to get more air into the bread (I used 1/2 bread flour, 1/2 spelt) and it came out quite dense (looks like your photos though 🙂 ) Would doing more flattening/folding help?
Thank you for your comment. I’m delighted you took the time to leave a review. If you did two more folds 10 minutes apart, it would fold more air into it. Then try not to deflate the dough when you shape your loaf. It will naturally deflate some, but the less you deflate it the more air pocket you will have in the final product.
Can’t wait to try this! But I did want you to know your video shows flour on there twice and omits the grains on the ingredients list… it took me a minute to realize what was going on with it, but I enjoyed watching the video!
Thank you for spotting that error. I am unable to make the correction on the video but did add a correction note in the description on you tube.
Is it possible to make this in a loaf pan? And what changes would need to be made in order to make one larger loaf? Many thanks, Dr. Jo.
Yes, I would follow the recipe as written and make a single large oblong shaped loaf of bread. Coat the single loaf with seeds and then place it in lightly greased large loaf pan. 9.5 X 5 inch size. Let the bread rise in the loaf pan until nearly doubled and then bake as per the recipe. You may need to bake it a little longer so check the internal temperature of the loaf to make sure it is done. I would love to know how it comes out.
It came out brilliantly. I used entirely stone ground whole wheat (hard) flour so to make the dough lighter, I added 2 T of dough enhancer and 2 T of wheat gluten as part of the last 1/2C of flour. I upped the yeast to a heaping Tablespoon and helped it out with a tiny pinch of sugar and 1/4 tsp of ground ginger (the bread has no sweet or ginger taste). Then, because it was entirely who grains, I added probably about 1/4 C more water in the mixing stage, until the dough felt “alive.”
I let the whole batch of dough do its final rise in the loaf pan and you were right, it took about 10 minutes or so longer to bake. I wish I could attach a photo. It looks like it came from a bakery. This is my go-to recipe from now on. Thanks so much!
Wow and Thank you for sharing what you did to make a brilliant loaf of bread. I love it.
Hi Dr
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Do you have any advice for slashing the bread prior to baking besides using a sharp knife?
I found my loafs were quite tender and deflated a bit. I was wondering if perhaps they were over proofed, but don’t know how to tell (prior to slashing).
Thanks in advance!
It might have been a bit over-proofed. Misting the tops with some water just after you slash them helps keep them soft a bit longer in the oven. This helps the bread regain its height once it’s in the oven.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It works perfectly!
Thank you, I love this recipe as well. It’s a recipe that I’ve adapted from my childhood to make it a no-knead recipe.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant?
Yes you can use active dry yeast instead. Proof the yeast before adding it to your bread to make sure it is still active.
Is it possible to use sourdough starter?
Excellent question and the answer is absolutely.
The recipe can be adapted to use sourdough starter. Here is how I would adjust the ingredients.
400g bread flour (If using whole wheat flour, you may need to increase the water slightly as whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture)
100g active sourdough starter
10g salt
100g whole grains (plus about 50g more for coating the outside)
300g water
If you want additional information on how to adjust the instructions, please email me at drjoanette@drjoanette.com and I will send you the adjusted recipe. It is too long to post here.