Our Basic WHEATLoaf
Watch & Learn & Bake
Before you begin
Select a video by clicking the 3 stripes or at the bottom of the video or swipe from right to left on a mobile, then select the title that suits you best. There are videos that show different ways; by hand or using a mixer. Or learning to cut and shape the dough. Just select the one that suits you best for what you are baking. you can follow along with the video and/or follow the written instructions below.
Click the menu lines to select another video
Basic Wheat Loaf
(Modern Organic Wheat)
Ingredients for 1 x 2 Lb loaf:
500 g - White Spelt Flour
7 g - Yeast (Instant active)
7 g - Salt
350 ml - Water (hand warm)
1 Tbs - Honey
2 Tbsp - Oil (olive/rapeseed) Optional
Baking Equipment:
A bowl
a scraper (optional)
clean cloth/oiled plastic bag to cover the bowl
1 loaf tin or a baking tray
A little Oil to grease the tin/tray
NOTE: Video quantities will differ, adjust recipe to the amount of loaves you want to bake.
Step 1 - Mix and Rest
Select the Mix by hand or Using a mixer Video.
The first part of this recipe can be done either by hand or using a mixer, follow the step instructions as indicated.
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By hand & mixer: If this is your first time watch a little or all of the video to get an idea of the process, it will help you understand the steps better.
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By hand & mixer: Weigh out your ingredients and keep them at hand.
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By hand & mixer: Put the flour in a bowl and mix in the yeast.
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By hand & mixer: Add the salt, the honey and the oil.
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By hand: Add the water and start mixing all the ingredients until the water is absorbed and all ingredients are well blended.
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By hand: Turn out onto a clean table (no flour, oil or water).
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By hand: Use the lift, stretch and fold method as explained on the video for approximately 10 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky. - continue further down
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By mixer: Turn the mixer to setting 1 speed and let it blend the ingredients for up to 4 minutes.
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By Mixer: Turn up the speed to number 4 and let the mixer knead the dough. This can take between 10-15 minutes: The dough will start coming off the sides. (Tip: even if the dough comes off the side before the end of 10 minutes, keep mixing for 10 minutes to strengthen the dough.)
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By mixer: Turn out onto a clean table (no flour, oil or water).
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By hand & mixer: Lift and turn the dough to finish off and prepare for shaping using a scraper as shown in the video.
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By hand & mixer: Dust the work surface with a little flour and place the dough upside down on the flour. Tap it a little and fold the edged into the middle to strengthen the dough.
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By hand & mixer: Dust a bowl (optional) with flour and place the dough top side up in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth. Leave to rest in a warm room, or it may take a little longer, for wheat loaf approximate 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
Step 2 - Shape & Rise
Bread Baking
Click the menu lines to select another video
Now that your dough has had its first rest it should have at least doubled in size.
Find and select the video 'Dividing & Shaping the dough'. This video covers different types of loaves and rolls and is very inspiring.
For a basic loaf watch from the start for the first 2 minutes without cutting it. Then go to 5.50 minutes and follow the instructions for shaping a loaf:
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Dust the work surface lightly and gently turn out the dough from the bowl onto the flour with the top side down.
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Draw a square frame in the flour and, with lightly floured hands to stop from sticking to the dough, gently pat the dough to fit the frame.
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Fold the far end of the dough towards you to cover two thirds of the dough. Then fold the remaining dough from your side to cover the folded dough. The sticky part of the dough should now be on the inside and the outside should be non-sticky.
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Turn the dough so the fold edge is underneath.
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(Written instructions to shape rolls and other loaves as seen in the video are in their recipes click Rolls or Baguettes.)
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Your dough will be larger than seen in the video, depending on the amount of loaves you want to bake. For one loaf do the same to your dough as shown for the larger loaf at 5.55 minutes.
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With the topside up, press down lightly. Turn the dough upside down with the seam to the top.
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You should have just enough 'dusted' flour on your work surface to easily slide the dough over the table. With the palm of your hand (not your fingers) gently pad down the dough to become slightly large and flatter.
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Pull out the corners slightly to form four corners. Holding the opposite corners, left and right bring one corner to the centre and pull the other corner over the top. Then with your fingers press a horizontal line in the middle to form a spine.
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Press again. Bring the top into the centre and gently press into the spine.
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Place your thumbs in the spine and slide/turn the dough around. (Always work toward you)
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Fold the top again to the centre, and then again so the outer side becomes nice and tight.
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Roll the dough to bring the edge under, gently roll to seal the edge.
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Dust with flour. Place the dough with the spine down in the tin or on the tray.
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Cover again and leave to prove in a warm room till double in size. Approximately 1-2 hours. (For Spelt loaf this can be sooner, start checking after 50 minutes.)
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About 20 minutes before the end of the prove turn on your oven to 220-240 degrees (We will turn it lower during the actual baking).
Step 3 - Baking the Bread!
There is no video for this part as yet but it is very easy to do.
Now that your dough has proven to double its size it is finally time to bake it into delicious , mouthwatering bread!
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Your oven should be well warmed up. The initial high temperature setting is important to give the dough an initial rise. Every oven is different so you may want to experiment by going a little hotter or lower to get the best results.
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To stop the bread forming a crust during this rise you need to steam the oven with clean water, using plant spray, just before putting the bread in the oven. Or place an ovenproof dish with cold water or ice cubes for about three minutes before you put the bread in, and take it out after the first 10 minutes.
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Using the spray: Open the oven and place the bread tray or tin on a shelf in the middle of your oven, leaving enough space for your dough to rise up to 3-5 cm more.
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Using a spray, spray in the water up to 10 sprays into the oven but not directly onto the dough.
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Bake the bread for about 30 minutes.
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Don't open the oven for the first 10 minutes, this is the initial rising time.
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Lower the temperature after the initial 20 minutes to 175-200 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes.
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Carefully take out the tin and place on a heat resistant surface. Take the loaf out of the tin and leave to cool. I prefer to place it on a rack, so that the air can go all around the bread and no wet areas are formed.
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If you use a tray with water - BE CAREFUL when you open the oven door as the steam will come out at you. (I remove my glasses or they will steam up and I won't be able to see anything!) Open the oven and carefully place the bread tin/tray on a shelf in the middle of the oven (above the water tray).
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The total baking time is about 30-35 minutes.
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After 10 minutes take our the water tray. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Now the crust will start to form.
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Lower the temperature to about 175-200 degrees. ( As I bake my loaves in a tin I like to take the bread out of the tin at this point to allow a good crust all round.)
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Continue to bake to loaf for the last 10-15 minutes
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Carefully take out the tin and place on a heat resistant surface. Take the loaf out of the tin and leave to cool. I prefer to place it on a rack, so that the air can go all around the bread and no wet areas are formed.
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Leave to cool for about 10-15 minutes (Hot, just out of the oven bread, can give you stomach ache and it won't slice very well either so try and be patient. get the butter and jam out or some other delicious topping.)
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Well done!! Go call friends and family and enjoy a slice of the good stuff.
