Bauernbrot
- To the metal mixing bowl add:
- 24 oz. water (3/4 l) or 12 oz. beer & 12 oz. water
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 11/2 Tablespoon molasses, sorghum or beet syrup
- 2 teaspoons pickling salt
- Warm over low flame till 110°F or 50°C
- Add:
- 3 cups (3/4 l) light rye flour (not stone ground, it is too coarse)
- 2 cups (1/2 l) bread flour (King Arthur Special for Machines recommended. You may find it locally in your grocery, Meiers for instance)
- Start mixing with flat beater, speed 2.
- Add:
- 3 Tbs vital wheat gluten (King Arthur®)
- 2 tsp diastatic malt powder (King Arthur®)
- 2 Tbs instant yeast (SAF® Special, King Arthur®)
- 4 Tbs rye sour (King Arthur®)
- 1 Tbs caraway seed, optional
I use a Kitchenaid K5 (5 qt) mixer to make this bread. If using a K4 (4 qt), reduce quantities by 1/3. If using a bread machine, reduce by 1/2-2/3, depending on size of machine.
Mix at speed 3 while adding more flour till dough clings to beater and cleans bowl, about 8 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Change to dough hook and use speed 2. Add more bread flour, 1 tsp at a time, till the dough no longer sticks to the bottom of the bowl, 5-7 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Dough should be sticky but fairly stiff, so that the free form loaves will hold their shape when rising. Place in an bowl lined with oil, turn to coat top, cover and let rise with love and patience till double at 75-80�F, 50-60 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Punch down, let rest 15 minutes (you can do this a couple of times if your little heart desires).
Divide into 2 or 3 pieces. Lightly oil hands and work surface. Shape into round or slightly oblong loaves by working dough with cupped hand from top to bottom (hard to explain, but you will soon figure it out). Place on a greased baking sheet about 6 inches apart. Prick with a chopstick 20-30 times now or slash with a razor or lame just before baking. Cover with a proof cover or a large plastic bin and let rise with love and patience till almost double. (If you let it go too long, loaves will form cracks and deflate. If this happens, reshape loaves as before.)
Brush carefully with eggwhite mixed with 1 tsp water. Sprinkle with caraway, flax or other seed, if your little heart desires. Place in preheated 400 F oven for 30-40 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Rotate sheet after 20 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Bake to a deep, rich golden brown. Cool on rack.
Finished bread will store, uncovered, cut side down for 2 days (this will keep the crust chewy). After 2 days, wrap in plastic. This bread also freezes well, slice into two equal parts and thaw as needed. When older, it makes wonderful toast and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Serves 4 People
Many of the ingredients in this recipe come from King Arthur Flour Co. in Vermont, USA
Mix at speed 3 while adding more flour till dough clings to beater and cleans bowl, about 8 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Change to dough hook and use speed 2. Add more bread flour, 1 tsp at a time, till the dough no longer sticks to the bottom of the bowl, 5-7 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Dough should be sticky but fairly stiff, so that the free form loaves will hold their shape when rising. Place in an bowl lined with oil, turn to coat top, cover and let rise with love and patience till double at 75-80�F, 50-60 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Punch down, let rest 15 minutes (you can do this a couple of times if your little heart desires).
Divide into 2 or 3 pieces. Lightly oil hands and work surface. Shape into round or slightly oblong loaves by working dough with cupped hand from top to bottom (hard to explain, but you will soon figure it out). Place on a greased baking sheet about 6 inches apart. Prick with a chopstick 20-30 times now or slash with a razor or lame just before baking. Cover with a proof cover or a large plastic bin and let rise with love and patience till almost double. (If you let it go too long, loaves will form cracks and deflate. If this happens, reshape loaves as before.)
Brush carefully with eggwhite mixed with 1 tsp water. Sprinkle with caraway, flax or other seed, if your little heart desires. Place in preheated 400 F oven for 30-40 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Rotate sheet after 20 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Bake to a deep, rich golden brown. Cool on rack.
Finished bread will store, uncovered, cut side down for 2 days (this will keep the crust chewy). After 2 days, wrap in plastic. This bread also freezes well, slice into two equal parts and thaw as needed. When older, it makes wonderful toast and grilled cheese sandwiches.
Serves 4 People
Many of the ingredients in this recipe come from King Arthur Flour Co. in Vermont, USA
Submitted by Sep 6, 2013
15 min
30 min
45 min