Authentic German Bread (Bauernbrot)
Serves: 4
Fatima Kris
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
48
Spice
53
Sweetness
53
Sourness
38
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.9
Difficulty
Ingredients:
2 cups
Water (warm)1 tsp
White Sugar4 cups
All-Purpose Flour8 cups
Rye Flour (white)2 tbsps
SaltDirections:
1
First, make the sourdough starter
2
Crumble the yeast into a large bowl
3
Whisk in 1 quart of warm water and 2 tablespoons of sugar until dissolved
4
The water should be just slightly warmer than body temperature
5
Gradually whisk in 4 cups of flour, continuing to mix until all lumps are gone
6
Cover with a dish towel, and let sit for 24 hours at room temperature
7
After 24 hours, stir well, cover, and let stand another 24 hours
8
It will be a thin, light-colored sourdough which is then ready to use
9
In a large bowl, stir together the rye flour, 4 cups of all-purpose flour, salt and sugar
10
Mix in the sourdough starter using a wooden spoon, then stir in 2 cups of warm water
11
I transfer the dough to a heavy duty stand mixer to mix the first couple of minutes, then it can't handle the heavy dough and I start using my hands by turning the dough out onto a floured surface
12
A clean countertop works best
13
Knead the dough, adding a few tablespoons of water at a time if it is too stiff
14
Fold the dough over, pull it apart, whatever you can do to get it kneaded up good
15
Total kneading time should be 15 to 20 minutes to get a smooth dough
16
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours
17
When the dough has risen, scrape it out of the bowl and back onto a floured surface
18
Knead for about 5 minutes
19
This is important to activate the gluten
20
Shape into 1 or 2 long loaves
21
Place on baking sheets, and let rise for about 1 hour, or until your finger leaves an impression when you poke the bread gently
22
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C)
23
Bake the bread for about 45 minutes for 2 loaves, 1 1/2 hours if you made one big loaf
24
Don't worry if the crust is dark
25
The bread will be delicious and so will the crust
26
Cool completely before cutting
27
I always freeze half