Whole Wheat Prune Bread

This whole wheat prune bread takes the bread machine route, which means weighing the ingredients, loading the pan, and walking away. No kneading, no proofing, no second guessing whether the dough has risen enough.

The prunes do double duty here. They sweeten the loaf naturally so you don’t need refined sugar, and the natural moisture keeps whole wheat from drying out the way it tends to. A spoonful of molasses backs up that depth with a darker, slightly bitter note that balances the prunes.

Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than white flour, so the dough may look slightly stiffer in the pan than you expect. That’s normal. Don’t be tempted to add extra water mid-cycle or you’ll throw off the rise.

Keep the yeast separated from the salt and liquids until the machine starts. Direct contact kills the yeast before the cycle begins, leaving you with a brick.

Pro Tips

• Use a fresh jar of yeast and store it in the freezer between bakes. Old yeast is the most common reason bread machine loaves fail to rise.
• Add ingredients in the order your machine’s manual specifies, not the recipe order. Most call for liquids first, then dry, then yeast on top.
• Chop the prunes into pea-sized pieces before adding so they distribute through the loaf instead of clumping at the bottom.
• Use the rapid bake cycle if your machine has one; the recipe is designed to work with it.

Variations

• Swap prunes for chopped dates or dried figs for a similar moisture and sweetness profile.
• Add 2 tablespoons of toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds for crunch and extra fiber.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of cardamom with the dry ingredients for a warmer, spice-forward loaf.