I have kept this recipe under my sleeve for quite a long time, and since my easy crusty bread recipe has been so popular, I thought I would post the healthier combination of ingredients the lovely Silvina and Sonia came up with after I gave them the original recipe. These two do not need to lose weight but spend their lives on a diet… silly ladies!
What better timing than British Sandwich Week to post this recipe and a couple of ‘tartine’ ideas (open sandwiches)?
If you are not into having too much white flour, then this easy, no kneading, no fuss, no bread machine required recipe should be perfect for you!
Crevette (5 years 9 months) and Beanie (3 years 7 months) are always keen to get involved with the measuring of ingredients and they often end up mixing the dough together. It is such a quick one to put together they certainly do not have time to get bored in the process and they can do the whole thing by themselves. Why not get your kids cooking for you?
This bread is more dense than the white loaf, the dough is not as sticky and does not raise quite as much which is why I would not bake it in my cast iron casserole dish but no panic; it works every time!
Until a couple of days ago, I had only baked it in a loaf tin, but I thought I would try it in my new Pyrex ‘4 in 1 plus’ dish and it came out looking great!
If you are watching your weight, I am sure you know what you would like to eat with this bread. In our home, we think it is perfect with strong cheese, soup or as a ‘tartine’.
Here are our favourites:
Hummus, Parma ham, avocado, salt, pepper
Goats’ cheese, walnuts and Acacia honey
Healthy Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup strong wholemeal bread flour 160g
- 1 cup wheatgerm 125g
- 1 cup plain white flour 150 g
- ½ teaspoon ‘easy bake’ / ‘fast action’ yeast 1g
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt 10g
- 1 ½ cup water 350 ml
- Optional: 1/3 cup walnut pieces 35g
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients in a 2L bowl with a tablespoon.
- Add the water and mix for a minute with your spoon.
- Cover your bowl with cling film and leave to rise in a warm (not hot) place for 12 to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to cook your bread, preheat your oven to gas mark 8 (230 degrees Celsius / 450 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Using your hands or a spatula, drop the sticky dough on a heavily floured work surface. If I have people coming over and want to keep my kitchen clean, I use baking paper which I then throw away with the leftover flour.
- Shape the dough in a sort of ball and roll it in the flour so it gets covered all around.
- Place your loaf tin in the oven to warm for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, put a bit of flour in the bottom of your dish so the bread does not stick to it. Make sure the dough is nicely covered in flour all around and drop it in your loaf tin. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes, then uncover it and bake it for a further 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
The loaf can be kept in foil for about four days and it tastes delicious toasted.
If you do not want to use white flour at all, you can replace it with a cup of rye flour. The dough will not rise as much and you might have to bake the loaf for 10 extra minutes under the foil.
We always have homemade bread, you just can’t beat it! X
Same here! Could not go back to ready-made bread anymore. x
what a great looking loaf – and it sounds so simple.
It is! Let me know if you have a go at making it, Helen (or the white crusty bread).
definitely! thank you.
Pour avoir eu l’occasion d’y gouter à plusieurs reprises je puis dire qu’il est délicieux et bien meilleur que celui que l’on peut trouver en boulangerie… félicitations pour tout ce que tu peux faire et j’ai hate que vous veniez durant les congés du mois d’aout et qu’en plus de passer de superbes moments nous puissions ensemble passer un moment en cuisine bises
Merci! Bon eh bien il n’y en a plus, on a tout fini avec nos restes de fromage! Pain blanc pour demain… bisous.
Looks yummy as always! I love your ‘tartine’ combinations too. I went through a phase of using wheatgerm quite a lot – it has great properties I believe… Will definitely bookmark this one! X
Thanks Sam. Let me know if you try baking this one. Wheatgerm is quite nice sprinkled on salads, too. x
How beautiful is this healthy loaf. I would omit the nuts as they hate me and I wonder if rye flour would work as a substitute for plain flour if I wanted it to become a SUPER healthy loaf! Stunning stills, wow, you are so talented Mel, truly. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Rye flour… I have never had it before (me… healthy?). Leave it with me, I will get some and try today and let you know whether it works well or not. I am not talented by the way, Vicki, I take 2 million photos and keep one, ha ha! x
Right, so I tried it with the rye flour. It worked, but I find that the rye flour has quite a distinctive flavour. The dough does not rise as much, but it baked properly (might have given it 5-10 more minutes under the foil). It certainly tastes ‘healthy’!
I am always trying to bake my own bread cuz its so cheap and I know what in it. Will definitely try this one for me cuz I need to lose weight =P #TastyTuesdays
Glad you will use this recipe, Merlinda! Let me know what you think once you have made it.
Another fab photo. I will have to try rhis again, tried last bread but mine didnt turn out too hard on outside and still doughy middle. Not sure what I did wrong first time always like to be healthier though so will attempt this one. Lovely recipe. Love the photos too. Food photos are great! Thanks for linking up to Share With Me. I love seeing you on the list each week and knowing I am in for a treat. #sharewithme
That’s odd. Maybe your oven was not hot enough. Mine is always on its highest temperature as it is an old gas oven (very temperamental). You can try leaving your bread covered with foil for 10 minutes extra (or so); it might ensure you do not get a doughy middle (yuk!). When it is cooked, the crust definitely looks crusty! x
Ahh thanks ya maybe oven issues. Hahaha I will blame that. Ok will let it sit. Doughy middles are always my faults. The outside of mine was perfect as I took a picture remember on Instagram twitter of it and tagged u in awhile back. But when I cut into it all went down hill. Will try again urs looks perfect and amazing. That’s why you are up for food blog award hahahaha
I didn’t see that photo, will have to have a look 😉
I love baking bread, the smell is just lovely. That looks like a yummy loaf #sharewithme x
It is! x
Ooooo I’m definitely going to have a go at making this it looks lovely. Great blog 🙂
Let me know when you do! Mel
This looks delicious and pretty simple! I love homemade bread and your toppings sound great!
Really simple. I like a no nonsense recipe!
Hi Mel, what a fabulous loaf of bread. A great recipe, that I’ll definitely have to try out. Thanks for sharing. x
It really is a nice loaf of bread. Let me know when you try making it, Julie! x
I’m so ashamed to say I’ve never made my own bread! You’ve totally inspired me, Mel. I LOVE walnut bread and am not keen on white bread except when en France 😉 Good luck with the #BIBs2014 honey! xx #sharewithme
Nothing to be ashamed about! I would never have made my own bread if there was any effort or kneading involved. Let me know if you try making this easy peasy bread! x
Oh how I wish we could have bread!!! There is no easy way to adapt bread recipes to be gluten-free! 😉
I know the feeling… sorry! I did manage to make a nice ‘free from’ loaf once but then threw it away after having doubts about the gram flour I had used as egg replacement (turns out I was right – same family as peanuts). We did not even try it even although it looked really nice. I should have, really, but just like I had been so happy I had managed to bake bread for Jumpy, the disappointment at the thought she was not going to be able to try it was all the more disheartening.
This looks amazing, Mel! I can’t believe I forgot it was British sandwich week! Love the parma ham, hummus and avocado open sandwich- that looks right up my street! 🙂 Hope you’re having a great weekend! xx
Hey Jess, go on… make yourself a nice sandwich! Lovely week-end, cheers! x
I love homemade bread! They look so yummy!
Oh incredible! One thing I miss the most about living in the UK after France, is the lack of good bread, so I make my own sourdough bread, but it does get to be a bit samey. This looks so yummy 🙂
#TastyTuesdays
Same for me, I do miss my baguettes from the local bakery. My crusty bread recipe (first post ever!) is the closest I have ever had, and really easy to make, you should give it a go.
You cannot beat homemade bread – this is making my mouth water #recipeoftheweek
Thanks! I love the smell of fresh bread and it never loses its appeal.
This bread looks yummy:) I would love it toasted with that goat cheese! Nice pictures by the way:)
It really is lovely bread. Let me know if you give the recipe a go!
I haven’t got any wheatgerm? Can I do it without?
Hi Hayley, that’s happened to me before, he he! I have written a recipe for the days when I forget to stock up. Less protein in the loaf, but still healthier than a white loaf. If you haven’t got any seeds, no worries at all, it will work as well. It’s fine with regular wholemeal flour too. Here it is: https://lecoindemel.com/our-favourite-seeded-loaf/
Gorgeous looking loaf and I love that it contains wheatgerm, so healthy! Shared.
Thanks Monika. It’s one of my favourite bread recipes. I wish I could find wholemeal flour!