johnr's bread recipe

Wholemeal Bread
Fat-free loaf, ideal for using up surplus beer yeast

See copyright notice. Page created 2-Apr-2005

Because it's made without oils or fats, this bread is very easy and clean to handle. Apart from rinsing a jug and spoon, and wiping the worktop, there's no washing-up to do either! The downside is that it doesn't keep as long as a "conventional" loaf, but it tastes so good that that's unlikely to be an issue.

The main ingredient is 1½ lb strong organic wholemeal flour. Tip it onto a smooth worktop and mix in 1 tsp salt with your hands. The next move depends on your source of yeast.

If you use a dry-mix "instant" yeast, just add it along with the salt. Personally I prefer to use something that looks, behaves and tastes like yeast ought to, and as a home brewer it makes obvious economic sense to use the surplus that's produced by fermenting beer. If you follow my advice and rescue the sediment from a typical bottom-fermented brew, then a few dollops (about 2 tbsp) mixed with ¼ pt tepid water and 1 tsp sugar in a jug will come to life in about half an hour. Dried "traditional" baking yeast can be activated in the same way, as presumably can fresh baking yeast if you're lucky enough to have a source.

Whatever yeast you use, have to hand also some warm water, typically enough to make the total liquid volume up to about ¾ pt. What's left in the kettle an hour after breakfast should be about right. If using real yeast, stir the mixture frequently whilst pouring it onto the mound of flour in stages, working in each addition by hand. Then gradually work in some warm water until you've got a single lump of dough.

There are two pitfalls to avoid. Don't let the yeast get too hot, it's a living thing and can't stand more than lukewarm conditions. And be very careful not to make the dough too wet, or you'll end up with a sticky mess that's quite unmanageable. Even if it feels a bit dry at first, it'll soften up when you start to knead it.

The object of kneading is to stretch the dough to make it more elastic so that it can rise like a sponge without breaking apart. You can stop after a few minutes when it no longer tears when stretched.

Shape the dough into a brick, a bit smaller than your loaf tin and tall rather than wide, with a depression along the top to counter the tendency to rise more in the centre. Spread some dry flour over all the surfaces before placing it in the tin to rise. If your tin is non-stick, then it's only necessary to oil it before the first use; thereafter just wipe it clean each time with a dry cloth.

It'll take between 45 minutes and 2 hours to rise, depending on the temperature. I keep it in a polythene bag to stop it drying out. By all means go through the ritual of proving, knocking down and kneading a second time, but I haven't found this makes much difference.

When the top of the dough is just starting to spread out over the sides of the tin, take it out of the bag and place in a hot oven, 210°C, Gas Mark 6½, for 35 minutes, then remove from the tin (wear oven gloves!) and return to the oven, upside down and placed directly on the shelf, for a further 5 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire tray for 3 hours.

Unless you can use it within a day, or at most two, I recommend slicing the loaf as soon as it's cool, and keeping pairs of slices in food bags in the freezer. You can re-use the bags many times if you turn them inside out to dry after each use.

Wholemeal Bread Fat-free loaf, ideal for using up surplus beer yeast

Wholemeal Bread
Fat-free loaf, ideal for using up surplus beer yeast