Whole Wheat Bread ( Topped with Oats, Barely Flakes and Flax Seeds ) Recipe

This healthy loaf of bread has been baked with 100 % whole wheat flour. It has a nice golden color with a tinge of mahogany and boasts of its crisp crust and a tender crumb.

It is perfect for making Bruschetta, Garlic bread or you can simply enjoy it with butter/jam.

I have topped the dough with a mix of oats, barely flakes and flax seeds. It gave bread a delicious nutty flavor and increased the health quotient as well. You can knead them into the dough itself. This was a last minute thought, so it was not possible for me to it.

I have mentioned some tips for better understanding of bread-baking process. Please read the same prior to baking bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/4 Tsp  Active Dry yeast
• 1 Tsp Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Oats
• 1/2 Tsp Barely Flakes
• 1 Tsp Flax Seeds
• Lukewarm Water (To Activate Yeast and Knead Dough )
• A Few Teaspoons of Milk (For Brushing)
• Loaf Tin (Dimension : 8″ * 4″ * 2″ )

METHOD

1. Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water and add yeast to it. Mix properly and keep it aside for activation. It will take around 10-15 minutes. You will see a layer of froth above water once it is activated.
2. Transfer whole wheat flour, salt, olive oil and yeast mixture to a big and shallow bowl and knead a soft dough using lukewarm water.
3. Grease another big bowl and transfer dough to it.
4. Cover the bowl with a cling foil and keep at a warm place for the dough to double. It will take around 1.5 – 2 hours for the same.
5. Remove dough from the bowl and punch it to remove gas bubbles formed by yeast during rising process.
6. Now shape it into a loaf and transfer to a loaf tin. You can either line loaf tin with a parchment paper or simply grease it.
7. Brush the top of dough with some milk and sprinkle oats, barely flakes and flax seeds. Gently press them as well.
8. Now it is time for proofing i.e. allow the dough to rest for approximately an hour till it rises again.
9. Bake at 210°C for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven.
10. Tap the bread to check if it sounds hollow. If not, bake for additional 6-8 minutes.
11. Transfer loaf to a cooling rack. Cut the slices only when it is cooled down completely.

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

1. Be careful with the temperature of water in which yeast is dissolved as hot water kills it.
2. Standard time for kneading dough is 10-12 minutes. Be prepared to tackle wet and messy dough as kneading is very important for strengthening gluten.
3. The area should be warm enough for the dough to rise. I keep the bowl of dough inside a preheated oven and put another bowl of warm water behind it to maintain moisture. I read it in a magazine and this really works.
4. You can also keep it on a shelf inside a cupboard, with a bowl of warm water beside it.
5. Time for dough to rise can vary, depending on the temperature of the place where it is kept. So do not be afraid if it does not double in 2 hours. Put it in a warmer place and give time to rise.
6. Size of loaf tin also matters. If the loaf tin is too big, bread will be flatter.