A good whole grain loaf, one without any trace of white flour, can be quite elusive to us homebakers. Too many whole wheat loaves are crumbly, fall flat or are just plain undesireable. In this recipe I combine the power of the food processor with the moisture retention properties of oats to create a soft loaf. I tested this recipe with both a small amount of bread flour versus all whole wheat. Both produce great loaves, but I feel that using a little bread flour makes the process more foolproof. Unfortunately, now is not the time for substitutes or deviations. Even though whole wheat flour is actually higher in gluten than white all-purpose, the higher fiber content inhibits gluten formation. The power of a food processor, much more so than even a stand mixer, works to overcome that obstacle. But if you process all the ingredients with the water right away, the dough becomes gluey, unmanageble, and can overwhelm the motor. That’s where the initial 2 1/2 hour resting period comes in. Unlike white flour that readily absorbs moisture, whole grains need a little time to soften. After the initial resting period, the hydrated dough is ready for processing. As long as you have the time and follow the steps, this is a ridiculously easy whole grain loaf without a list of obscure ingredients.
ingredients
yields 1-9x5 loaf
2.1 oz (1/2 cup) Bread Flour or Whole Wheat Flour
2.1 oz (1/2 cup plus 2 TB) Whole Oats
9.4 oz (1 1/2 cups plus 2 TB) Water (about 60-70F), divided
.5 oz (1 Tablespoon) Brown or White Sugar, brown preferred
1 3/4 Teaspoons Instant Yeast (not active dry)
1 1/4 Teaspoon Table Salt
1.1 oz (2 TB plus 1/2 teaspoon) Oil
deviations & tips
A food processor is needed for this recipe. Kneading by hand or with a mixer is simply not vigorous enough to foster gluten development in a whole wheat loaf.
If you have oat flour on hand, you can sub that for an equal weight of oats and skip milling the oats.
For consistent results every time, weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale.
For a milder wheat taste, try white whole wheat flour. It’s whole wheat flour made from winter white wheat instead of hard red.
Because the water and yeast need to be added separately, do NOT sub active dry yeast for the instant yeast because active dry must first be bloomed in warm water.
the method
Lightly grease 1 - 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Add oats to a food processor or blender and process until finely ground into oat flour (skip if using oat flour). Mix together oat flour, whole wheat flour, bread flour (if using), and 8.4 oz of water until no floury bits remain. Cover and let sit for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Knead dough into ball and add to 14 cup or larger food processor that is fitted with either a dough or chopping blade. Sprinkle in yeast, sugar, and salt and process for about 45 seconds to a minute. You should be able to carefully stretch the dough into a windowpane. If not, process for another 15 seconds. If the dough starts to get too warm, it may start to ride on the blade’s spindle. If this happens, turn off the machine, gather up the dough, knead into a ball to create some tension and add back to work bowl. If you’re using a chopping blade and have a dough blade, switching to the dough blade may help reduce the heat being generated. With the dough processing, drizzle in the oil and the remaining 1 oz of water and process for about 15 seconds or until the liquid is incorporated.
Beginning of dough processing.
After processing for 45 seconds.
Stretch dough into a windowpane.
Gather up the dough and knead for couple seconds to form a ball. If the dough got too warm and gluey after processing, it just may take a minute or 2 to create some tension. Let rest in a covered bowl for about 45 - 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
Knead into a ball.
Before rising.
After rising.
Turn dough onto a very lightly greased surface and roll into a rectangle, roughly 9” x 12” in size. Starting from the shorter end, roll into a loaf, pinch together the ends and seal the bottom. Place into prepared loaf pan and press lightly. Cover pans with greased plastic wrap or shower caps. Proof for about 45 - 90 minutes or until dough crowns about 1” over pans. If you let the dough get much higher than that, it may deflate during baking.
Press into 9 x 12 rectangle.
Roll from the short end.
Loaf before rising.
Loaf after rising.
About 30 - 45 minutes into proofing, pre-heat oven to 400F.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the internal bread temperature is between 190F and 205F.. Immediately remove from pan to keep crust from getting soggy, and transfer to cooling rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. To keep bread from going stale, freeze whatever you won’t use within a couple days.
Whole Wheat and Oat Bread.