Half bread, half cake: Pecan and maple surprise loaf

It's easy to bake a rich, high-quality, flavorful whole wheat bread that's entirely healthy.

This bread is baked using a top-bottom heat program (static heat) at a medium temperature. Unlike other breads that require baking in a very hot oven to get a crispy crust, this soft bread is baked at a relatively low temperature for a longer time.

As a result, the bread will have an almost cake-like texture and a brown, but not hard, crust. Since it’s a relatively soft bread, it’s baked in a pan, just like a cake.

Ingredients:Dough:500 grams whole wheat flour (4 cups)

10 grams dry yeast (2 teaspoons)

60 grams maple syrup (1/4 cup)

30 grams olive oil

100 grams pecans, coarsely chopped

10 grams salt (2 teaspoons)

400 grams water, room temperature (1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons)

Topping:Poppy seeds

Instructions:1. Prepare the Dough: Sift the whole wheat flour into a bowl. Add the dry yeast and mix. Add the maple syrup, olive oil, pecans, salt, and water in large increments until you get a uniform, slightly sticky dough. Mix well with a spatula or spoon until you get a soft and uniform dough. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about an hour.

2. Shape, Proof, and Bake: Line a large loaf pan with parchment paper.

3. Mix the dough with a spatula or spoon to release the air. Transfer the dough to the pan and flatten it with wet hands. Cover the pan with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until the dough almost doubles in size, about twenty minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F), with top and bottom heat. Sprinkle some poppy seeds over the dough.

5. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the loaf slightly browns. Remove from the pan and cool completely before slicing.

By Naama Gaon, in collaboration with Sugat