Jane’s Real Whole Grain Bread
Servings Prep Time
1loaf 10minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45-60minutes 14-20hours
Servings Prep Time
1loaf 10minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45-60minutes 14-20hours
Ingredients
  • 3cups freshly ground whole grainsthe coarse setting helps delay the absorption of the grain which reduces the glycemic index and enhances the taste
  • 1/2tsp instant yeast
  • 1 1/4tsp coarse kosher salt
  • 1 5/8cup water
Instructions
  1. 1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or towel. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.   2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. You can follow step 3 for a bit fluffier loaf, but I am usually in a hurry and just form a ball and go straight to step 4, which is to put it in a pre-heated pan.) 3. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger. 4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. If you skipped step 3, plop the dough into the pot. If you followed step 3, slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. It may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.