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.