Whole Wheat Nigerian Bread

Ingredients

• 3 big cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 big cups of plain flour — the combination gives both nutrition and tenderness
• 2 teaspoons of instant dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 cooking spoons of vegetable oil or butter
• Warm water — approximately 2 glasses, add gradually

Method

1. 01

   Making the Whole Wheat Dough. Combine whole wheat flour, plain flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add oil or softened butter. Add warm water gradually while mixing until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms. Whole wheat dough absorbs more water than plain flour — add a little extra water if the dough seems too stiff.

2. 02

   Kneading. Knead the dough firmly on a lightly floured surface for 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic. Whole wheat dough requires more kneading than white flour dough to fully develop the gluten.

3. 03

   First Proving. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth. Prove in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.

4. 04

   Shaping the Agege-Style Loaf. Knock back the proved dough. Divide into 8 to 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange the balls in a greased deep round tin — touching each other to create the characteristic pull-apart Agege bread structure.

5. 05

   Second Proving and Baking. Cover and prove for a further 30 minutes. Brush the top with a little milk or water for a soft crust. Bake in a moderately hot preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until golden-brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

More cakes, pies & pastries

• Nigerian Meat Pie90 min
• Nigerian Fish Roll75 min
• Nigerian Sausage Roll60 min
• Scotch Egg Nigerian Style45 min
• Nigerian Chin Chin90 min
• Coconut Tart60 min