Basic whole wheat bread

In most of the baking recipes(bread), yeast plays an important role. There are 2 types of yeast, Active dried yeast and instant yeast. With instant yeast, no need of proofing, we can directly add this to the flour mixture while making bread. With dried yeast, we need to dissolve in warm water for some time to become active. In the beginning there will be quite some chaos with using the right yeast in right quantities. I use dry yeast and for me yeast is quite a familiar ingredient since past few years. Thanks to my frequent endeavours with Appam :-) 

Now a days we prefer to eat whole wheat bread / brown bread as it contains loads of fibre when compared to white bread. Fibre-rich food is known to prevent heart diseases, cancer and so on.

While buying the brown bread from market, you need to check the ingredients because in most of the brown breads they add colour ( caramel colouring, brown colour) with which the brown colour comes and we take it as wheat bread. We have to ask for the whole wheat bread.

Coming to the recipe, I was really scared of making bread because of the yeast. I took courage and made it and you can see the end result.

Ingredients

1. Whole wheat flour - 2 cups + 1tbsp
2. Milk - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar- 1 tbps
4. Salt - a pinch
5. Yeast-2 tsp
6. Warm water - 1/2 cup
7. Olive oil / Vegetable oil-1 tbps + 1 tbsp
8. Sesame Seeds- 1tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the yeast and sugar in ½ cup of warm water and let it rest for some time till the water turns frothy.
2. Mix the flour, salt, oil, milk and yeast mixture together in a bowl. Knead well with the heel of your hand till it forms a sticky dough. Repeat the process several times and leave it covered with a cling film or a damp cloth for about 45 minutes.
3. After that, the dough will rise double in size. Punch the dough to release the air and knead well for 2- 3 minutes on a floured surface till it attains its original size.
4. Grease the bread pan with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp flour and place the kneaded dough into the pan and let it rest for another 20 minutes.
5. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Brush the surface of the kneaded dough with butter or egg white and press the roasted sesame seeds on top of the dough.
6. Keep this in pre heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes or till golden brown and well cooked.
7. Once the bread is done, take it out of the oven and brush the top of the bread with little butter or oil for softer crust.
8. Let it cool for 5 minutes and rest it on a wire rack. When it is cooled completely slice it and enjoy your way.