Recipe: Whissendine wholemeal

This recipe from Julian Carter, head baker at Hambleton Bakery, uses flour milled at Whissendine Windmill in Rutland – but any stone-ground wholemeal bread flour will work.

Julian says: “The recipe uses a starter, which creates a better flavour and texture. It requires no kneading time, which is achieved by delaying the salt going into the dough. You will see that just by doing this you get a strong dough without any work.

“When you allow the wholemeal flour time to absorb the water it softens the bran and improves digestion, and your body absorbs more of the nutrients.”

Equipment required
Large bowl
Five 2lb loaf tins

Starter (make the night before)
330g water
500g wholemeal flour
5g yeast

Dough
Starter (made the previous night)
1000g wholemeal flour from Whissendine Windmill
650g water
25g treacle
35g sea salt
15g yeast

Method
1) Make your starter the night before by mixing all the ingredients together and putting the mix into a covered bowl. Place in the fridge.

2) In a large mixing bowl add warm water at 38C, sprinkle in your yeast to dissolve it, then add your starter and flour. Add the treacle and bring it together to make a sticky mass.

3) Cover and leave for 30 minutes, then kneed in your salt – just enough to make sure it is evenly distributed throughout the dough.

4) Lightly oil your large mixing bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a lid or cling film and leave for 45 minutes at room temperature.

5) Take the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured table and fold it over itself till it tightens up.

6) Place it back in the bowl  and rest for another 45 minutes.

7) Tip the dough out onto the table and cut into five equal pieces, round up the pieces of dough and rest on the table for ten minutes.

8) Fold the dough over itself to create an oval shape and transfer to your greased loaf tins.

9) Cover with a cloth and leave till doubled in size.

10) Place them in a hot oven at 220C and bake till a rich dark colour is achieved – about 30 minutes.

11) Bang them out of the tins and onto a cooling wire.

Julian Carter (left) with Hambleton Bakery owner Tim Hart

The author:

Matt lives in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He is passionate about the independent food & drink sector and founded Great Food Club in 2010 after being inspired by local producers near his home town.