Learn to make “Bruin Brood,” a Dutch whole wheat bread! When I moved to the United States, I couldn’t find a wheat bread that I truly liked. So I learned how to make it myself. After many years, my recipe is pretty foolproof.
Learning to make whole wheat bread was a challenge for me. At first, the taste of fresh homemade bread wasn’t what I’d remembered from my home in the Netherlands. I took some time to adjust though and after many years, I’d say this recipe has turned out very good! The taste reminds me of home and it makes my mouth water just writing about it.
The crust has a nice chew, the inside is nice and soft, with that great flavor I missed so much. I use it at breakfast with “hagelslag” (chocolate sprinkles), peanut butter, or Nutella. At lunch, I’ll eat it with an egg, or some delicious cold cuts!
While baking bread may seem like a daunting task, my recipe is very easy, and should yield fantastic bread!
Learn to make "Bruin Brood," a Dutch whole wheat bread! When I moved to the United States, I couldn't find a wheat bread that I truly liked. So I learned how to make it myself. After many years, my recipe is pretty foolproof. Learning to make whole wheat bread was a challenge for me. At first, the taste of fresh homemade bread wasn’t what I’d remembered from my home in the Netherlands. I took some time to adjust though and after many years, I'd say this recipe has turned out very good! The taste reminds me of home and it makes my mouth water just writing about it.
Create a well in the flour, then sprinkle the salt on one side of the well, and the yeast on the opposite side of the well.
You need to keep the yeast and salt as far away from each other as possible.
Cut the butter into small pieces, and place them in the well.
Add the sugar to the well.
Carefully pour the water into the well.
Attach the bowl and the dough hook to your stand mixer. Let it mix on low for 5 minutes
Increase the speed of your mixer, and continue to knead it for 10 minutes, until it forms a ball, and the dough is no longer sticky.Pay attention while this is going on -- you may have to scrape the edges down from time to time.If it looks like the dough isn't coming together (around the 6-minute mark), try with your hand if you can put it together. If not, you may have to add water. (I ended up adding 2Tbsp of water). Then, continue to let the mixer knead.
1st Proofing
Take the ball of dough from the bowl of the mixer, and use your hands to shape it into a ball.
The best way I find is to cup the dough ball with your hands, and with your pinkies push the bottom of the ball together. The goal is to create some surface tension.
Oil a bowl, and put the dough ball in it. Cover it with a damp towel, and let it proof in a warm spot for 30 minutes. It should double in size.
2nd Proofing
Take the ball of dough and put it on a lightly floured work surface. Push all the air out, until it's a flattened disk.
At the top of the circle, fold the left and right arcs towards the center, creating a point.
The final shape should look like a triangle with a rounded bottom.
See the video for more detailed instructions.
Starting at the point, roll the dough towards you. After every turn, use your thumbs to push the seam back towards the top, to create surface tension, and to "seal" the seam. Repeat until the dough is rolled up.
Once you have completely rolled the dough, pinch the final seam close, and put it seam-down on a baking sheet.Cover it with a damp towel, and let it proof in a warm spot for 25 minutes. It should be approximately doubled in size.
Shaping and final rise
Melt a little bit of butter, and grease your loaf pan.
Take the log off your baking sheet, and push it into a flattened rectangle.
Fold the sides in at an angle, to create a trapezoid shape, with the short edge furthest away from you. Make sure the widest side of the trapezoid will fit in your loaf pan.
See the video for more detailed instructions.
Starting at the short edge, roll the dough towards you. After every turn, use your thumbs to push the seam back towards the top, to create surface tension, and to "seal" the seam. Repeat until the dough is rolled up.
Once you have completely rolled the dough, pinch the final seam close, and put it seam-down in the buttered loaf pan.Cover it with a damp towel, and let it proof in a warm spot for 90 minutes
Baking the bread
Right before the dough has finished its final rise, fill a large baking dish with cold water, and put it in the center of the lowest rack in your oven.
Preheat your oven to 230ºC (450F), in non-convection mode.
When the oven is preheated, place your loaf pan on the middle rack, centered above the dish with water.
Lower your oven's temperature to 200ºC (395F), and bake the bread for 30 minutes.
You know the bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 88ºC (190F)
Cooling
When the bread is done, let it cool in the loaf pan, on a rack for 15 minutes
Remove the bread from the pan, and let it cool completely on the rack.
