RECIPES - Baking bread in a cast iron pot (Dutch Oven) 3.Wholemeal

Baking bread in a cast iron pot -  Wholemeal Loaf 

Wholemeal loaf

I used my bread machine on the dough setting to make this loaf, using the quantities given in the recipe for a 100% wholemeal loaf that came with the machine.  If you are using a bread machine I would suggest you follow the recipe and instructions that came with the machine as every one is different.

If you do not have a bread machine just follow any wholemeal loaf recipe for making one manually (or with the aid of a food mixer) as far as completion of the first rise then follow the method below.

Using my bread machine the ingredients were as follows:

Ingredients:

 ¾ cup water

1 ½ tbsp skimmed milk powder

1 ½  tbsp butter

2 ½  tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 cups Strong Wholemeal flour

1 tsp dry yeast

1 x 100g Vitamin C tablet (optional)

Adding Vitamin C improves the rise of the loaf and should be crushed and added to the flour.

Method:

Whichever recipe you are following, at the end of the first rise place the risen dough on a floured surface.

Dough after first rise

There is no need to knead the dough, well only a little - just gently knock back and shape into a ball

Knock back and gently knead

Shape dough into a ball

Using a sharp knife cut a slit across the top,, cutting about 1 inch deep.

slash top with sharp knife

Place the shaped dough into a cast iron casserole dish, that has been lined with baking paper.

 dough in casserole dish lined with baking paper

Put the lid on the casserole dish and place in a cold conventional oven. Set oven temperature to 240C and turn on. Leave to cook with the lid on for 35 minutes. 

remove lid after cooking for 35 minutes

After 35 minutes remove the lid and continue cooking for a further ten minutes but keep an eye on it in case it burns.

loaf removed from oven after 10 mins cooking with lid off

Remove from oven, lift out loaf and place on a wire rack to cool

loaf cooling on rack

When cool, slice and enjoy.

For earlier attempts click here for a Basic White Loaf or click here for a 50/50 White/Brown Loaf  

John Austin

Hove, June 2020