Soft Sprouted Sandwich Bread Recipe
This Simple Sprouted Sandwich Bread Recipe is a great place to start if you're looking for an easy, reliable loaf made with 100% sprouted wheat flour.
Servings: 1 loaf
Cost: $5
Ingredients
Sponge
- 1 ½ cups warm milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 cups sprouted wheat flour
Dough
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup softened butter
- ⅓ cup orange juice *optional
- 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten *optional
- 2-3 cups sprouted wheat flour
Egg wash and topping
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ⅓ cup seeds and nuts *optional
Instructions
Sponge
- For this method, I like to use a sponge. It is so easy to do, so don’t be intimidated. Mix together the warm milk, yeast, honey, and half the flour. Mix until it comes together and let it sit for 30 minutes. This method adds to the softness of the bread and is worth the time.
- Next, add in the remaining ingredients and mix for 1 minute on medium speed. Check the dough. It should be slightly sticky (tacky), but not too sticky. If it is too dry, add in a few more tablespoons of milk, or if it is too wet, add in a few tablespoons of flour.
- Once it is slightly sticky, it is time to mix thoroughly. Again turn the mixer to medium speed and this time mix for 6-8 minutes until you have a smooth, supple dough.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled. In the winter when my house is cooler, it can take up to 1 ½ hours, but in the summer when it is warmer, it will only take about 45 minutes.
- Once the dough has risen, it is time to shape it. I made this a sandwich loaf, so here is how you do this. Gently press it into a 12 x 12-inch square. Press the 2 sides in about 1 inch. Then roll from the top down. Pinch the ends closed. This results in a perfect loaf shape every time.
- Place the loaf into your prepared 9x5 loaf pan.
- Cover with a dish towel and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled again. This rise goes faster than the first rise. Typically, it will take 35-45 minutes in my home. At the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You want the bread to go into a hot oven, so do not forget this step.
- Bake
- If you are brushing with egg wash (I like it for the pretty shine it gives the loaf). Mix the egg and milk and brush it over the top of the loaf gently. Sprinkle with the seeds and nuts and score your loaf.
- Move to the preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. I like to go by temperature to ensure the loaf is baked perfectly. 195 degrees is the temperature for whole wheat bread. Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Gently take the loaf from the pan and let the loaf continue to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This is important as you want the starches to set.
Notes
- I formed mine into a boule shape, but you can shape it any way you want. If you want to shape it as I did, it's simple. Take the dough and tuck all the edges under, making sure to give it a round top. Then, move the loaf in a circular motion continuing to pull the dough around to form a beautiful boule.
- I also slit the top with my favorite lame. If you don't have a lame, you can always use a sharp knife. Why score the bread? The bread will vent steam somewhere. If you create the vent, it will vent there. If not, it will blow out wherever it wants!
- I love grinding my own grains, and my Nutrimill makes this process simple. It does take a bit of time, but the baking results are worth it. The flavor is better, plus I can experiment with grains that might be hard to find already ground. Depending on the grains you’re using, it can even be cheaper than buying flour.
- You’ll want to adjust the oven temperature during the baking process for perfect results. I like to bake the first 7-10 minutes at about 400 degrees. This will give the bread a beautiful "oven spring". Then I reduce the heat to 350 degrees and finish baking for about 40-50 minutes until it is a deep golden brown.
- I used about a cup of dried cranberries in my bread. If you don’t like cranberries, though, you can use other dried fruits - raisins, dates, apricots, or anything that sounds good to you. You can also experiment with different seeds or add chopped nuts to the inside and/or on top of the bread.