Baking Wholegrain Bread - How to Make the Perfect Wholegrain Loaf

The smell of freshly baked wholegrain bread is irresistible. Crusty on the outside, hearty and full of flavor on the inside - and packed with fiber and minerals on top of that. It's no surprise it's the most-baked bread in the Dutch bread maker community.

Still, things go wrong regularly. Too dense, didn't rise, or collapsed halfway through baking. In our community, we see these questions come up every week. Sound familiar? Then this article is exactly what you need.

We'll take you through it step by step - from choosing the right flour to the perfect wholegrain loaf out of your bread maker. Built on professional baking knowledge, rounded out with tips from dozens of experienced home bakers.

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What you need

Ingredients (for 1 loaf of approx. 750g)

Tip: Wholegrain flour needs more water than white flour. If the dough looks too dry, add an extra 10-20 grams of water.

Equipment

• Bread maker (any brand - see the program table below)
• Kitchen scale (weighing accurately is the key)
• Measuring cup or scale for liquids

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Step by step: baking wholegrain bread

1. Liquids first

Pour 325 grams of lukewarm water into the bread pan. The water always goes in first - this protects the yeast from direct contact with salt.

2. Add the dry ingredients

Add in this order:

• 540 grams wholegrain flour, spread evenly over the water
• 6 grams salt, scattered over the flour
• 10 grams sugar
• 20 grams margarine or butter in small cubes, on top of the flour

3. Yeast last

Make a small well in the center of the flour. Put 7 grams of dry yeast in it. The yeast must not come into contact with the water or the salt - that slows it down.

Check your dough

After 10 minutes of kneading, take a moment to see whether your dough has the right consistency.

• Too wet? Add flour, 10 grams at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the wall
• Perfect? The dough forms a smooth, supple ball - firm but elastic
• Too dry? Add water, 10 ml at a time, until the dough is supple and smooth

4. Start the program

Select the wholegrain program on your machine (see the table below for your brand). Choose the weight closest to your recipe and set the crust color to medium.

5. Don't open during baking

This is maybe the hardest step: leave the machine alone. Don't open the lid during rising or baking. Every time you open it, heat escapes and the bread can collapse.

6. Remove from the pan right away

As soon as the program finishes, take the bread out of the baking pan right away. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack. Don't slice it too early - it will turn gummy.

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With your bread maker

Every brand of bread maker has its own program for wholegrain bread. The total baking time varies by machine, but the principle is the same: a longer rise and bake time than for white bread.

On your machine, look for a program with a total time of roughly 3 to 4 hours. It's usually called "Wholegrain," "Whole Wheat," or "Complete." Times can vary between model variants. Always check your own manual. Note for the Fornello Supremo: program 5 supports the automatic dispenser. Want to add seeds or grains? Put them in the dispenser and the machine adds them at the right moment. The Essenza has no dispenser - add seeds by hand when the machine beeps.

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Common mistakes

Collapsed wholegrain bread - a common problem that's avoidable with the right adjustments.

Out of our community of thousands of bread maker users, these five mistakes come up most often:

1. Too much or too little water

Wholegrain flour absorbs more water than white flour. Use too little water and the bread turns dense and dry. Too much water? Then the bread can collapse. Start with the recipe and adjust based on how the dough looks after 10 minutes of kneading - it should be supple, not sticky and not too stiff.

2. Yeast straight into the water

A classic: sprinkling the yeast on top of the liquid. Dry yeast should always go dry into the flour, in a well, with no contact with water or salt. Otherwise the yeast loses its strength before baking even begins.

3. Opening the lid during baking

We get it - you want to see how it's going. But every time you open the lid, heat escapes and the bread can collapse. During the first 10-15 minutes of kneading you can take a quick look, but during rising and baking: hands off.

4. Using old flour

Wholegrain flour contains the fat-rich germ of the grain kernel. That can go rancid. Use your flour within 2-3 months of purchase and store it cool and dry. Freshly milled flour (from a mill or online) gives the best result.

5. Choosing the wrong program

The program you choose matters. Wholegrain bread needs a longer rise time than white bread. Choose the basic program and the dough won't get enough time to rise. Always use the wholegrain program - see the table above.

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Variations to try

Once the basic recipe works well, give these a try:

• Wholegrain with seeds: Add 50 grams of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or flaxseed. With the Supremo via the dispenser; with other machines, add them when the machine beeps.
• Wholegrain with honey: Replace the sugar with 2 tablespoons of honey for a subtly sweet flavor.
• Wholegrain-spelt mix: Use 270 grams of wholegrain flour and 270 grams of spelt flour for a lighter texture.
• Wholegrain with walnuts: 60 grams of coarse walnut pieces, added at the beep signal.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use freshly milled flour too?

Yes, and it's even recommended! Freshly milled wholegrain flour gives a richer flavor and more nutrients. Do let the flour rest for 30 minutes after milling before you use it.

Why is my wholegrain bread so dense?

The most common cause is too little water. Wholegrain flour absorbs more moisture than white flour. Try adding an extra 10-20 grams of water. Another cause can be old or inactive yeast - test your yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar.

Can I mix wholegrain flour with white flour?

Absolutely. Start with half and half (270g wholegrain + 270g white flour) for a lighter bread. As you gain confidence, you can increase the proportion of wholegrain.

How long does wholegrain bread stay fresh?

Homemade wholegrain bread stays fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature, in a cotton bread bag or bread box. You can also freeze it in slices - that way you grab exactly what you need each morning.

Should I set the crust color to dark?

For wholegrain bread we recommend medium. On "dark," the crust can get too hard, especially if you use flour with a higher protein content.

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Read also

• Baking sourdough bread - from starter to loaf - Step by step to your first sourdough bread
• Baking spelt bread - healthy and delicious (coming soon)
• Bread collapsing? Here are the causes and solutions (coming soon)

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Have questions about baking wholegrain bread, or want to share your result? We're happy to help.

Or email support@fornello.eu - we reply within 24 hours.

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Ready to get started? Check out our bread mixes.