Here is a 70% whole-grain sandwich bread which tastes good and feels as light as the wonder bread. Moreover, it has none of its downside. Hard to believe there is no chemical additives or preservatives. The just bread is developed by King Arthur Flour from Vermont in partnership with the Bread Lab at Washington State University.
We care so intently about the quality of our coffee, cheese and diary, it’s time we elevate the mundane daily bread. The just bread is, in part, the result of the Bread Lab’s initiative to promote the regional grains and reinvent a wholesome sandwich loaf with mass appeal. With what the Bread Lab calls the “approachable loaf,” we can sneak in more whole grains in the diet of picky eaters. It can be done!
Most recipes overstate but underdeliver their promise. I can assure you the just bread is not one of them. I was excited when I first heard about the whole-grain grail on the New York Times. After baking the just bread, I’m a firm believer that a healthy whole-grain bread can earn a place in most households — if we can taste it.
In the nutshell, these are the key characteristics of the just bread:
- requires an overnight levain with a mature sourdough starter
- a 70% whole wheat, 75% hydration dough
- uses 7 ingredients without additives
- needs a mixer to combine and knead the dough ingredients
- takes 4 to 4 1/2 hours (plus an overnight levain build)
- bakes in a regular loaf pan
Tips for a light and airy loaf:
I don’t degas and squeeze out all the air bubbles when I shape the dough. As a result, the loaf becomes an exuberant riser. I could have baked the dough in two pans; it will undoubtedly fill out.
The biggest piece of advice is to gradually add water to the dough while mixing. Here is why.
“As the dough develops more strength during the kneading phase, you’ll find you’re able to incorporate more water without compromising the dough’s structure. The end result will be a softer, moister loaf of bread.” ~ King Arthur Flour
There is no going back to the wonder bread! This is an excellent sandwich bread I feel good eating everyday.
This is finally the promise of whole grains!
Just Bread | 70% Whole-Wheat Sandwich Loaf
Ingredients
- LEVAIN:
- 1/2 cup (57g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
- 3 tablespoons (42g) water, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ripe (fed) sourdough starter*
- * What is "ripe" sourdough starter? It's a starter that's been fed and allowed to work at room temperature until at its peak level of activity. It should be full of bubbles; if you watch it for 10 to 15 seconds, you should see bubbles coming to the surface and popping, as if a slow-motion boil is happening.
- DOUGH:
- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups (340g to 397g) water, lukewarm *
- 3 cups (339g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (134g) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (32g) honey
- 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon (31g) vegetable oil
Instructions
Mix the Levain: Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and set aside to rest at room temperature for 12 to 14 hours.
Make the Dough: Combine the levain with 1 1/2 cups (340g) of the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Weigh your flours; or measure them by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Add the flours and remaining ingredients to the bowl with the levain and water. Turn the mixer (equipped with a dough hook) to low speed to incorporate the ingredients, then knead the dough for about 3 minutes, stopping the mixer early on to scrape the bowl if necessary.
Turn the mixer up one speed and continue to knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding the remaining 1/4 cup (57g) water about a tablespoon (about 14g) at a time roughly every 2 minutes (see tip below). At the end of kneading the dough should be smooth and elastic, though still tacky; you’ll know it’s ready when you can stretch a small piece of it thin enough to see through it (the windowpane test).
Bulk Fermentation: Leave the dough in the bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 45 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and stretch and fold it four times. If you think of the dough as a compass, start with the north edge, pulling it away from you then folding it back so that the edge lines up with the center of the dough. Gently dust off any excess flour and repeat this process with the southern edge, followed by east and west. Turn the dough over so the seam side is down, place it back in the bowl, cover.
Let it rest for another 45 to 75 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and gently pat it down to de-gas it. Fold the dough in half once to make a semicircle, then again to make a quarter circle. Roll the dough so the seams face down and with a circular motion, gently form it into a ball. Place the ball, seam side down, on a floured surface and cover lightly with plastic wrap or your favorite reusable cover. Let the loaf rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Shape the Dough: Turn the dough over so the seam is facing up, dust off any excess flour, and form the dough into a tight 9” loaf. Thinking of the dough as a compass again, fold the northwest and northeast “corners” into the center followed by the northern edge. Repeat this process to form a tight log, releasing some excess gas in the process.
Proof the Dough: Place the loaf into a lightly greased 9” x 5” loaf pan, cover, and let it rise (proof) at warm room temperature until it’s crowned 1” to 1 1/4” over the rim of the pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Bake: Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make a 1/2" to 3/4"-deep slash down the length of the loaf, if desired; this will help avoid it blowing out on one side.
Bake the loaf at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 33 to 37 minutes longer, until the loaf is golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 195°F.
Remove the loaf from the oven and turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.
Store bread well wrapped at room temperature for three to five days. Freeze for longer storage.
Notes
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/just-bread-recipe
2 Comments
Cauliflower Pizza | Gluten-free - Ever Open Sauce
April 15, 2020 at 10:51 am[…] into flours in a high-powered Vitamix. Then use that to bake wholesome and equally fine-tasting whole wheat breads, pitas or flatbreads. Two, bake a vegetarian pie, like the cauliflower pizza. Neither flour or […]
Pan Integral Country Bread | A Crispier Crust - Ever Open Sauce
September 4, 2020 at 3:21 pm[…] of whole grains — while maintaining a soft and open crumb. So far, I’ve found the just bread, a pan loaf with 70% whole wheat. With pan integral, I’m loading up along the spectrum of […]