Coconut-Scented Brown Bread

This is a hearty bread loaf with a coconut scent that no one places as coconut because they do not expect coconut in bread. The coconut, as it often does, seduces one to try to figure out what that flavor is!

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 161 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 8 cups whole wheat flour
• cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• ¼ cup solid coconut oil
• 5 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees F/40 to 45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon warm water (100 to 110 degrees F/40 to 45 degrees C), or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix 8 cups whole wheat flour, yeast, coconut sugar, and salt with a fork in a bowl. Mix in coconut oil with your hands until well distributed and flaky. Mix in 4 1/2 cups water. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water until dough has a moist, spongy consistency.

Step 2

Divide dough into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.

Step 3

Dust 2 large bowls with 1 tablespoon flour. Place 1 ball of dough into each bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place to rise, 4 to 20 hours.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.

Step 5

Punch dough down gently and shape into loaves. Place loaves in the prepared pans. Snip top with kitchen scissors to create spiky tops.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave loaves inside, about 15 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool for 30 minutes. Cut into 12 to 16 slices per loaf.