Whole Wheat Braided Herb Bread

This is an easy bread to make that looks impressive.  It makes around 3 small loaves or 2 big loaves. There are different ways you can braid it. Today, I’m doing a two-strand twist. The key is to make sure the stands are equal in size. I recommend using a kitchen scale to make sure the portions are equal in size because looks can be deceiving. I like doing the 3 smaller loaves since it’s just my husband and me in our household and me. I put the extra loaves in the freezer to store for later use.  

From start to finish it takes around 3 hours to make. This is from pulling things out of the cabinet to spreading a slide of bread with butter and eating it. Don’t be put off by the total amount of time.  It sounds like a lot of time, but you are setting the dough aside during which time you can do other things. Today I’m adding in Herbs de Provence for flavor. This also works well with rosemary.  You can omit the herbs entirely if you want just plain bread. 

Hands-on time: 45 minutes

Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups bread flour

1 Tbsp kosher salt

2 Tbsp Instant Yeast

1 Tbsp herbs de Provence

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup honey

2 cups warm water 108-110 degrees

Egg for egg wash

 

 Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients.

Add the honey and extra virgin olive oil.

Stir in the warm water until a shaggy ball of dough forms.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. After kneading you should have a smooth ball of dough. 

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with a towel.  Let the dough proof for an hour or until it’s doubled.  

Divide the dough into 3 equal size portions. Then divide each dough portion in half.  You should have 6 equivalent size portions of dough.

Roll each portion of dough into a long rope. It should be around 12 inches long. Twist two of the portions together and place them on a lined baking sheet. Tuck the ends underneath. 

Cover the dough and set aside for 30 minutes to rise a second time.  

Brush the tops of the loaves with egg wash. Bake loaves at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 190 degrees. 

 

Remove the loaves from the oven and place them on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. 

Once loaves are completely cool you can cover them with plastic wrap. A loaf will last about a week on the counter. Keep the loaf covered in plastic wrap to maintain freshness.  Put the rest in the freezer for later use. They also make great gifts.  

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