Easy Whole Wheat Baguette & Sandwich Bread

Freshly baked bread. Doesn't that sound wonderfully domestic and Martha-y? It's actually a lot easier to make whole wheat bread at home than you might think! Last week I shared my Grandma's recipe for whole wheat bread on Food and Nutrition Magazine's blog and I knew it was something you all would love too. By the end of this post I promise you a minimal fuss, beautiful loaf of bread. 

Easy Whole Wheat Baguette

Makes 1 loaf

/// Ingredients: ///

• 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 c white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 C of water (110 F)
• 1 tablespoon light oil (canola, vegetable)

Topping: 

• sea salt
• rosemary

• baking soda and water wash (ratio: 1 T baking soda to 1/2 C water)

/// Directions ///: Add water and yeast to standing mixer with dough hook attached. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Mix/knead with hook for 5 minutes until dough pulls together into a ball and becomes smooth. Remove and hand knead into a smooth ball. Add a touch of oil to mixing bowl and coat the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add dough ball, cover with plastic wrap or tea towel and allow to rise in a warm space for 1 hour. 

Remove from bowl after the dough has doubled in size and press down to remove air. With the palm of your hand, press dough into a rectangular shape on the counter. Fold in thirds, like you would fold a letter and roll back and forth a few times to elongate and round the loaf. Place on a baguette/french bread pan seam side down (Don’t have one? Use heavy duty tin foil to recreate!). Score three lines across the top of the loaf at a diagonal. Drape a tea towel over the top and allow to rise in a warm place for another hour. Once the dough has risen again, brush the top of the loaf with baking soda and water to brown (like you would do with a pretzel). Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and sea salt. 

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place a pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven. Place bread loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Making bread is about sensing and trust...which kind of sucks because it takes practice. Some days you may need a touch more flour. Some days the bread needs to rise longer. And if you don't trust the recipe, or your senses, you'll be opening the oven a zillion times to check the bread and letting the hot air and steam out...leaving you with a sad, sorry loaf. Good bread takes practice, time and a Grandma. Grandma not included in this recipe, but at least you have a recipe starting point now!

Have you ever made bread? Did it suck or are you the next Martha?