Pane Integrale (Whole-Wheat Bread)
- Total Time
- 3 hours, plus 18 hours for rising
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 2¼cups (300 grams) bread flour
- ¾cup (100 grams) wheat flour
- 1½teaspoons (8 grams) table salt
- ½teaspoon (2 grams) instant or dry active yeast
- 1¼cups (300 grams) cool water (55 to 65 degrees)
- Wheat bran, cornmeal or flour, for dusting
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)
1453 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 295 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 47 grams protein; 1632 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, salt and yeast. Add the water, and using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 12 to 18 hours.
- Step 2
When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to gently scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece. Using lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula, lift the edges of the dough in toward the center. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round.
- Step 3
Place a cotton or linen tea towel on your work surface and very generously sprinkle it with wheat bran, cornmeal or flour, using at least ⅓ cup. Gently place the dough on the towel, seam-side down. If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal or flour. Fold the ends of the tea towel loosely over the dough to cover and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your finger, it should hold the impression. If it springs back, let it rise for another 15 minutes.
- Step 4
Thirty minutes before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475 degrees, with a rack positioned in the lower third, and place a covered 4½-to-5½-quart heavy pot in the center of the rack. If using a lid with a plastic handle, be sure that it can tolerate high temperatures. You might have to unscrew it and plug the hole with aluminum foil.
- Step 5
Using thick potholders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Unfold the tea towel and quickly but gently invert the dough into the pot, seam-side up. (Use caution: the pot will be very hot.) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
- Step 6
Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burned, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a heatproof spatula or potholders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place on a rack to cool thoroughly.
Private Notes
Comments
I have found that using a piece of flour-dusted parchment paper on a cookie sheet for step 3 is much better than a cloth. After placing the dough ball on it to riise, I cover it with the same large pyrex bowl that I used to mix the original dough. I can see through the bowl and monitor the rising. When it comes to step 5, it is simple to slide one's hand under the parchment sheet and then plop the dough into the pot. No sticking and no messy towel to clean!
This is not a whole wheat bread (pane integrale). It contains 75% refined flour. Bread flour is not necessary to make bread!
I just pick up the risen loaf with the parchment and put it in the pot. The parchment does fine in the oven.
to all the reviewers complaining that this isn't "real" whole wheat bread--please take a moment to read Jim Lahey's intro notes to this recipe in his book "My Bread." He states that he experimented with different ratios of whole wheat to white flour and yes, you could use 100% whole wheat flour for this loaf. however, the resulting loaf was dense and heavier that what he wanted. he ended up at 3:1 white/whole wheat as the right ratio for the end result he sought
I used 50% of each flour (easy math) and it turned out great, from a rising and crumb perspective. But it was quite bland, so next try I will add 1 tsp brown sugar (or honey) and 1 tsp dried milk. I also cooked it for a total of 25 minutes at 425 deg, the first 5 with a pan of boiling water on the lower shelf. I took the bread out at 195, and it was nicely done without any burning.
I modified the recipe by using 200 g each of bread and whole wheat flour. Having made lots of rye bread and whole wheat bread, I find that having some bread flour helps the dough rise better. I marked this a 4 star becasue I did not think it was very flavorful. It was easy to make, rose nicely and had a nice crumb. But, the flavor was just so-so. Next time I will put a TBSP or so of sugar into it and/or maybe add a bit more salt.
Advertisement