June 20, 2020

Whole Wheat Artisan Bread w/ Pumpkin Seed & Flax (Easy, No-Knead)

I’m so excited to share this 100% whole wheat artisan bread with you all! If you don’t already know, I love bread. Especially when it’s freshly baked and made from scratch. I’ve always loved artisanal, crusty, bakery-style breads, but also wanted to make a version that’s a little healthier.

Cue this recipe, adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois! (An excellent book and great resource for beginner bread makers. Strongly recommend — I will be consulting their recipes in my own bread-making journey myself.) It’s a foolproof recipe for an artisan loaf so tender, flavourful, and delicious it will disappear in a day.

Made with 100% whole wheat flour and mixed with flax and pumpkin seeds, this bread gives an extra kick of fibre, protein, and healthy fats. Plus, the seeds lend a lovely nuttiness and extra depth of flavour to this loaf.

Before we get into the recipe, be sure to Pin this image to Pinterest so you have it saved for later! (Plus, it helps me out to grow my little blog by sharing this recipe with others.)

How to: Whole wheat artisan bread

Prepare the dough

First, you’re going to need a container that holds at least 6 quarts (about 5.7L). You can find 6L containers on Amazon that will work great. Or, if you have a 6 qt or 8 qt InstantPot like our family does, just use the metal liner inside!

For this whole wheat artisan bread recipe, start by mixing your yeast into the warm water. Add in the sugar, salt, and oil, and just briefly mix to disperse. (Don’t worry about the sugar and oil compromising the “healthiness” of this bread! It’s just a couple tablespoons to keep the bread tender rather than dry and brittle.)

Next, dump in all the flour. You can choose to stir it in a little at a time with a wooden spoon, but it incorporates just fine even if you dump it in all at once. Just as it’s slightly moistened, add in your seeds. I find it’s easier to incorporate them at this half-formed stage of the dough, when they can still disperse within some of the flour pockets.

Proofing

Cover with a lid, but not completely airtight. I just covered my InstantPot liner with a pot lid, but you can also cover with saran wrap and poke a hole or two in the top.

If you’re getting hot summer days like we are in Southern Ontario, you could just leave it to proof outside! The warm temperatures are really great for making your dough rise, since it keeps the yeast really active. Otherwise, you can proof it in the oven as I explain in this post, or just leave it in a warm spot in your kitchen.

After the dough reaches almost the 5.5L / 6qt mark, or about 2 hours, transfer it to the fridge to rest. I’ve found the best results when I prepare the dough in the afternoon/evening and let it rest overnight.

Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into three or four portions. I prefer to store these in separate containers at this point, since the large one takes up a lot of room in the fridge. You can keep this dough in the fridge for up to two weeks, and bake it as you need. Alternatively, store frozen and defrost fully before baking.

*Whole wheat artisan bread dough before baking. Notice how scoring the dough after sprinkling with seeds & flour results in prominent and beautiful lines after baking.*

Bake the bread

When you’re ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and shape into the shape of your choice (round, oblong, etc.). Leave on a sheet of parchment to proof for one hour. After proofing, preheat your oven with your pizza stone on the middle rack and cookie sheet/broiler tray on a rack below. If you don’t have a pizza stone, an upside-down cookie sheet that can withstand high temperatures will also suffice.

While your oven preheats, wet your dough by brushing or misting with water. (I personally find misting with a spray bottle quicker and easier.) Sprinkle on pumpkin seeds and flax seeds, and top by sifting some flour through a mesh sieve. Score with a pattern of choice with a sharp knife, making cuts 1-2cm deep.

Pour 1 cup hot water into the broiler tray. Place dough and parchment directly onto pizza stone. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the parchment, and bake for an additional 10 minutes to crust up the bottom.

Allow to cool on a baking rack. Afterwards, your bread should look like this! If you want to enjoy it warm and fresh, my personal favourite serving suggestion is to do so by tearing off chunks with your hands and dipping into some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mmm. Delectable.

If slicing with a knife, it’s best to wait for it to cool completely. Store uncovered on the cutting board at room temperature, cut side down. Putting the loaf in a sealed bag or container may soften the crust. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Share it with me on social media @houbakes!