The Sandwhich Ritual: Master Dutch Whole Wheat Bread at Home
- Vanity
- 7 dec 2025
- 3 minuten om te lezen
Bijgewerkt op: 28 dec 2025
Today we're diving into something sacred in the Netherlands: bread.
In the Netherlands, the 'boterham' (a simple sandwich) is the foundation of our breakfast and lunch. We keep it simple to butter, a slice of cheese, or top it off with some peanut butter or delicious hagelslag (sprinkles). But the heart of this is not the topping; it's the bread. Specifically, Volkorenbrood (Whole Wheat Bread).
While grabbing a loaf from the store is always easy, thereās a special kind of joy in the smell of fresh bread filling your own kitchen. But beyond the scent, there is a real sense of pride in knowing that this is something youĀ created. Even though my own loaf burned a bit at the top this time, that first bite of my own homemade boterham was easily ten times tastier than anything from a store!
Bran vs Gluten
Baking with whole wheat is a bit different. The difference lies in the bran. Think of bran as tiny, sharp scissors. As you knead, these 'scissors' try to shred the gluten strands that give your bread its structure.
This is why whole wheat dough needs a little extra kneading. We knead it longer and more intentionally to build a structure strong enough to win the fight against those bran flakes. This will create a loaf that is soft, elastic, and sturdy enough for any topping.
PRO TIP
Short on time or just not in the for ant kneading? No worries! You can always try my Easy No-Knead White BreadĀ recipe.
The Ingredients
300 g whole wheat flour
200 g bread flour (or all-purpose)
7 g instant yeast (1 packet)
350 g (350 ml) water
10 g salt
Step 1: Mix
Weigh all the ingredients precisely and place them in a bowl. Mix until you can form a rough dough ball. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface to start kneading.
Step 2: Knead (building the structure)
Knead for 10-15 minutes. You want the dough to transform from shaggy and sticky to smooth and elastic.
The Test
A good sign is when you can stretch the dough without it tearing easily. If it tears immediately, keep kneading!
When done, shape the dough into a ball.
Step 3: First Rise
Lightly oil a mixing bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl, and cover with a clean towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1,5 ā 2 hours, or until doubled in size. Ā
The Test
Gently press a finger into the dough. If the indentation springs back slowly, youāre ready to go. If the dent stays, your dough needs more time.
Step 4: Shape and Second Rise
Grease your baking tin. Turn the dough out, gently flatten it to release some gas, then fold the sides in and roll it into a log shape that fits your tin. Place it seam-side down in the tin, cover, and let it rise again for 30ā60 minutesĀ until puffy.
Step 5: The bake
About 45 minutes into this second rise, check your dough. Is it starting to look puffy and reaching the top of the tin?
Now it is time to preheat: Turn your oven to 230Ā°C / 450Ā°F.
The steam secret: Place an empty oven-safe dish at the bottom of the oven while it preheats. We'll add water to this later to create the steam that gives you that amazing crust.
The final check: Give the dough a gentle poke with your finger. If the indentation stays or springs back very slowly, itās ready.
Bake: Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife or lame. Bake the loaf uncovered for 30ā35 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 6: Cool
Remove the bread from the tin immediately and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Whether you top your fresh boterham with aged cheese, peanut butter, or a mountain of hagelslag, remember: you didn't just make a meal. You mastered the dough.š.
Watch the step-by-step video
Iād love to hear how yours turned out! Did yours come out perfect? Either way, I bet it tasted amazing!
Printable recipe
1
Flour
You can use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. The bread may be slightly less chewy, but still delicious.
Whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour. If the dough feels too dry, add 1ā2 tablespoons extra water. If too sticky, dust lightly with flour while kneading.
2
Windowpane Test (for gluten development)
Windowpane test: Pinch off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it. With whole wheat flour, it wonāt get completely see-through, but it should stretch into a thin, elastic sheet without tearing right away. If it rips quickly, keep kneading a few minutes longer.
3
Using a Stand Mixer
You can knead this dough with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed (1ā2) for about 8ā10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl but still feel slightly tacky to the touch.
If in doubt, check with the windowpane test: the dough should stretch thin without tearing.
4
Steam Trick
No oven save dish? Spray the loaf with water before baking.
Notes
1
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until a rough dough forms. Turn onto a clean surface.
See note #1: Flour
2
Knead for 10ā15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Whole wheat flour requires longer kneading because it contains less gluten. You can also use a stand mixer instead of kneading by hand. Using a dough hook, knead on low speed (1ā2) for 8ā10 minutes.
To check whether the dough is fully kneaded, perform the windowpane test: pinch off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it. If it stretches thin without tearing, the dough is ready. If it tears, continue kneading for a few more minutes. You want to transform your dough into an elastic and smooth dough.
See note #2: Windowpane test
See note #3: Using a stand mixer
3
Shape your dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the dough and let it rise 1, 5ā2 hours or until doubled in size.
4
The First Rise
To check if your dough has risen. Gently press the dough:
- If the dent springs back ā the dough is ready
- If the dent stays ā the dough needs more time
5
Once your dough is ready after the first rise. Grease your loaf tin. Flatten the dough, fold the sides in, and roll the dough into a log. Place the log seam-side down in your greased tin. Cover and let rise 30ā60 minutes until double in size.
6
Preheat the oven to 230Ā°C / 450Ā°F. Place an oven-safe dish with water on the bottom shelf (for steam). Bake loaf 30ā35 minutes until golden brown.
See note #4: Steam trick
7
Remove from tin right away and cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Instructions
300 gr Whole wheat flour
200 gr Bread flour
7 gr Instant yeast
350 gr Water
10 gr Salt
Dough
How to Bake Dutch-Style Whole Wheat Bread at Home
Author
Vanity
This beginner-friendly recipe shows you how to bake a traditional Dutch-style whole wheat bread "volkorenbrood" at home.
Servings :
12 slices
Calories:
146 Calories / Serve
Prep Time
15
Cooking Time
35 min
Rest Time
2 hours 30 min
Total Time
3 hours 20 min
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