Baking Recipe: Seeded Whole Wheat Overnight Bread (2024)

FAQs

Can you leave bread mixture overnight? ›

When you put your dough in the fridge it slows the yeast activity down. It takes ten times longer for dough to rise in the fridge than it does at room temperature. This means you can put your dough in the fridge overnight or whilst you are at work and come back to it when you are ready.

You can soak seeds overnight, strain them, and add them to a bread dough during mixing (easiest) or during an early round of stretching and folding the dough (better gluten development).

Sesame seeds are a staple in many cuisines and can be a wonderful addition to your bread. Incorporating sesame seeds not only enhances the flavor of your bread but also introduces calcium, iron, and healthy fats. Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are a fantastic choice for adding a satisfying crunch to your bread.

They've also been shown to help lower cholesterol, and play a role in combating diabetes and cancer, per a 2022 review in Molecules. Seeds also add a nice crunch if you like that in your bread. If you're buying seeded bread, you should check to make sure it's made with whole grains—or you can make your own.

The recipe I have used for over 30 years includes double acting baking powder and part of the recipe is to refrigerate the dough overnight to allow the flour to absorb the fats and bloom. So, yes.

Overproofed is when the dough has rested too long and the yeast has continued making carbon dioxide while the strength of the dough (gluten bonds) have begun to wear out. The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag.

Dough first, then add seeds

The other option is to add the seeds once the dough is adequately mixed and gluten has formed and developed to your recipe requirements.

An important factor to this dough is the need to pre-soak the toasted seeds before adding them to the dough to prevent the seeds from absorbing all the water in the dough. I usually soak the seeds in about 5% extra water right when I start with autolyse.

For some breads, you can use an egg wash as the glue; the seeds will stick to it. But not all breads benefit from an egg wash; crusty loaves that bake at a high temperature, for example. In those cases, the best way to get the seeds to stick is simple: Just add water. For the seediest crust, just add water.

Be sure to use raw seeds as a topping. Toasting seeds amplifies their flavor, but because the seeds will be on the exterior of your dough, they will toast as the loaf is baking in the oven. Toasting them before topping your dough will likely cause them to burn in the oven.

What is the best wheat seed for bread? ›

For bread making, it's best to use a “hard” variety of wheat, such as hard red wheat or hard white wheat. Hard wheat is high in gluten, a protein that becomes stretchy when you knead it.

Whatever topping you choose, it will be toasted in the oven as your dough is baked. Therefore, there's no need to toast seeds or grains before using them; they'll be just right by the time your bread is fully baked.

While wheat bread is pretty healthy, that's definitely not the case if you have certain digestive conditions, such as celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or allergies, or irritable bowel syndrome.

The healthiest bread money can buy is 100% whole grain bread, but truthfully, any bread can be part of a healthy diet. “It comes down to just looking at how it fits into what you're eating on a regular basis and what you're eating at that meal or snack,” says Jill Weisenberger, a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Yes, it is generally safe to eat whole wheat bread (often referred to as brown bread) daily, as part of a balanced diet. Whole wheat bread is a good source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and it can be a nutritious addition to your daily meals.

Baking condiments like baking powder, 6 months unopened and 3 months after opening; cakes, brownies and bread mixes, 12-18 months unopened and follow the package used by date after opening.

How long can you refrigerate bread dough before baking? Bread dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking.

“If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

the temperature you're leaving your dough at - I recommend not leaving your dough out overnight if the room temperature in your home is more than 21C (69.8F). If your room temp is higher than this, you'd need to reduce the starter amount further or try to find a cooler spot.