Bauernbrot
German Farmers Bread
Recipe by Gerry Cole
A Little Background
| I lived in Germany for 9 years. This bread is as close to real German bread as anything I have found in the U.S. |
Prep
Step 1
Day one: 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 2 cups water 1 tablespoon dry yeast 1 tablespoon sugar Use large bowl – stir together with wire whisk, cover with towel and let sit 24 hours. |
Step 2
Day 2 :
Stir the mixture again and let sit another 24 hours.
Step 3
Day 3
Mix 4 cups white rye flour (I buy this on E-Bay in 50 lb bags)
2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup dry instant mashed potatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
all of the above sour dough
5 1/2 ounces warm water
I mix this in a large mixer with dough hook about 7 minutes.
Place in bowl sprayed with a non-stick spray, cover with towel and let sit 1 hour.
Step 4
After 1 hour mix again with dough hook for 3 minutes.
Dough will be heavy and a little sticky – may need a spatula to get it out of the mixer.
Shape into 1 large bread or 2 small breads and let rise on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. (at about 1/2 hour turn oven on to 425 degrees) ((prepare cookie sheet with parchment or corn meal))
Step 5
Bake for 45 minutes in middle rack of oven (turn pans so it bakes evenly)
Brush with butter as soon as it comes out of oven. Let cool before cutting. This bread freezes well.
Bauernbrot (German Sour Rye Bread)
Equipment
- Brotform or Banneton
- Cast iron skillet
- Thermometer
Ingredients
Starter
- 2 cups Dark Rye Flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
Final Dough
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 7 cups white bread flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 package yeast
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
Instructions
- Starter: Mix rye flour and water; sprinkle flour on top and let sit for 24-48 hours until cracks develop.
- Mix final dough ingredients thoroughly for 5 minutes. The dough should be fairly wet.
- Cover and let rise for 60 minutes.
- Divide into loaves and rise in a warm, moist environment until doubled.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake in a preheated cast iron skillet, covered for the first 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 20-30 more minutes until internal temp is 205-210°F.
Notes
Final Thoughts
You can of course substitute different styles of Rye flour. It is easy to buy Rye flour online.
Other Great Recipes You Might Enjoy
