Instant Pot Rustic Country Bread

1. Stage

Stir bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt together in a large bowl until well combined; set aside.

2. Stage

Gently whisk 1 1/4 cups warm water and yeast together in a small bowl. Allow to rest at room temperature until foamy and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

3. Stage

Make a shallow well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour in the yeast mixture. Stir together using a spatula until a coarse dough begins to form. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and begin kneading, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

4. Stage

Shape dough into a ball and place in a large bowl lightly greased with cooking spray. Cover the bowl with a towel lightly dampened with warm water and set aside in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

5. Stage

Lightly grease a 7- to 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper; lightly grease parchment paper with cooking spray; set aside.

6. Stage

Using your fingers, gently press down on dough to deflate slightly and transfer to a work surface that has been very lightly dusted with flour. Gently knead dough 2 or 3 times, preserving as many air bubbles as possible. Using the sides of your hands, shape dough into a ball by pulling the sides under until a smooth and slightly shiny surface develops. Gently transfer dough to the prepared cake pan and lightly dust with flour; cover tightly with aluminum foil.

7. Stage

Add remaining 1 cup water and a steam rack to a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot); place cake pan on the rack. Close and lock the lid. Turn vent to Sealing position. Select Manual/Yogurt setting; set timer for 1 hour. Dough will rise in cooker and double in size. Press Cancel.

8. Stage

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

9. Stage

Select Manual/Pressure Cook setting on the Instant Pot. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 40 minutes. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for pressure to build.

10. Stage

Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 8 to 10 minutes. Unlock and remove lid. Carefully remove the cake pan as it will be hot; remove aluminum foil.

11. Stage

Transfer cake pan to the preheated oven and bake until bread is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove bread from the cake pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 30 minutes. Using a bread knife, slice loaf crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices.