An Easy Brown Bread Recipe with step by step instructions. Using fresh yeast and a mix of wholemeal and plain flours. An ideal recipe for the beginner or when you want something simple and easy to make.
What you need to make Brown Bread
The ingredients for a brown bread recipe.
- Yeast - For this recipe, I used Fresh Yeast. If you are looking for a recipe using dried Yeast. Try this Easy White Bread recipe.
- Water - Tepid Tap water is fine.
- Sugar - White Caster sugar or granulated is fine
- Salt - I prefer to use Sea Salt because of the nutrients it contains. Table salt is fine.
- Flour - I used a mix of Wholemeal flour and plain white flour. If you choose to use all wholemeal flour, you will need to add a little more water.
- Butter - This adds a little extra flavour and softness to your bread.
Scroll down to find the full list of ingredients and quantities on the recipe card
This is a really easy homemade bread recipe. You may also like to have a go at baking a White Bread recipe. It uses dried yeast and plain flour. Which is great if you are running short or can't get hold of strong white bread flour.
As an introduction to Sourdough Baking, read my review of Elaine Boddy's Cook Book 'Whole Grain Sourdough Baking at Home'.
How to made Brown Bread
Start by greasing a 2lb loaf tin and lightly dust it with flour. Shaking off any excess flour. Leave to one side.
Add the tepid water into a large jug. Add the fresh yeast. Give it a gentle mix.
Place the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar, and cubed butter.
Using your finger tips, rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre add the yeast liquid. Bring everything together until a rough dough is formed. Ensure there are no clumps of flour left to mix. Do not be tempted to add more water. This is a slightly sticky dough.
The dough will look a little rough. But don’t worry about that at this time.
Cover the bowl with a pan lid or cling film. Leave in a warm place for 30 mins to allow the dough to develop a little.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured service until you have a nice smooth finish. This can take about 5 mins.
Place the dough back in the bowl. Cover again and leave in a warm place to prove for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. This will take longer if your kitchen is a little cooler.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Very gently fold over the edges of the dough to a size that will fit your prepared loaf tin. Taking care NOT to knock out any air from the dough.
Carefully place the dough into the loaf tin. Dust with flour and lightly cover with a clean cloth or cling film.
Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. This may take about an hour or so depending on how warm your kitchen is.
About 20 mins before your loaf is ready to bake. Turn the oven on and preheat to 200 deg c.
It's crucial that your oven comes up to temperature before you bake. It can make the difference between success and failure. Investing in an oven thermometer will be one of the best things you can do.
Before you place the bread in the oven to bake, use a serrated knife and carefully cut slashes in the top of the dough. Taking care not to cut too deep.
Bake for 40 mins or until baked. The crust should have a deep golden colour. For a dark brown loaf leave to bake a little longer.
How to Create Steam in the Oven
I bake my bread using a steam oven. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.
If you don’t have a steam oven. The alternative is to place a suitable tray at the bottom of your oven whilst it is heating up, ready to take your cup of water. This way instant steam is created. But take care when pouring the (cold) water into the tray. Also when opening the door during baking.
The steam will be extremely hot and can be dangerous if you get too close to the oven when opening the door.
Keen to Bake More?
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Easy Brown Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 900g/2lb loaf tin
Ingredients - Imperial /oz are approx weights which are calculated by a 3rd party app
- 33 g fresh yeast
- 320 ml tepid water
- 250 g Organic Wholemeal Flour
- 250 g plain flour or strong white bread flour
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar granulated will be fine
- 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt or table salt
- 25 g Butter cut into cubes
Instructions
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin and lightly dust it with flour. Shaking off any excess flour. Leave to one side.
- Add the tepid water into a large jug. Add the fresh yeast. Give it a gentle mix.
- Place the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, sugar, and cubed butter.
- Using your finger tips, rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in the centre and add the yeast liquid. Bring everything together until a rough dough is formed. Ensure there are no clumps of flour left to mix. Do not be tempted to add more water. This is a slightly sticky dough.
- The dough will look a little rough. But don’t worry about that at this time.
- Cover the bowl with a pan lid or cling film. Leave in a warm place for 30 mins to allow the dough to develop a little.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured service until you have a nice smooth finish. This can take about 5 mins.
- Place the dough back in the bowl. Cover again and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. This may take about an hour or so. It will take longer to rise if your kitchen is a little cooler.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Very gently fold over the edges of the dough to a size that will fit your prepared loaf tin. Taking care NOT to knock out any air from the dough.
- Carefully place the dough into the loaf tin. Dust with flour and lightly cover with a clean cloth or cling film.
- Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. This may take about an hour or so depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- About 20 mins before your loaf is ready to bake. Turn the oven on and preheat to 200 deg c.
- It’s crucial that your oven comes up to temperature before you bake. It can make the difference between success and failure. Investing in an oven thermometer will be one of the best things you can do.
- Before you place the bread in the oven to bake, use a serrated knife and carefully cut slashes in the top of the dough. Taking care not to cut too deep.
- Bake for 40 mins or until baked. The crust should have a deep golden colour. For a dark brown loaf leave to bake a little longer.
Elizabeth
Hi Lynn thanks for the brown bread recipe I am looking forward to trying this out. Do you have a recipe for currant bun or hot cross buns. I used the chocolate traybake recipe last week and it came out really well lovely rich taste.
Thank you
Lynn
I'm pleased to hear that you like chocolate traybake. I love making it, the topping works so well on lots of other bakers too. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for currant buns or hot cross buns, it's something I need to add to my creative list.
Monika
I made this recipe a few times, and it always comes out really well. I adapted it a little by adding a handful of seeds into the mix, and dividing the dough in half to make a smaller loaf and some rolls.
It's now on my list of weekly bakes.
Lynn
Thanks Monika. I love the idea of adding seeds.