Recipe: Bauernbrot (German Farm bread) for Pat San Angelo (2)

Bauernbrot(German Farm bread)

Note from the Source: Many of the ingredients in this recipe come from King Arthur Flour Co. in Vermont, USA. 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.

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

Mix at speed 3 while adding more flour till dough clings to beater and cleans bowl, about 8 minutes. 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. Dough should be sticky but fairly stiff, so that the free form loaves will hold their shape when rising. Place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat top, cover and let rise till double at 75-80 F, 50-60 minutes. Punch down, let rest 15 minutes (you can do this a couple of times if desired).

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 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 desired. Place in preheated 400 F oven for 30-40 minutes. Rotate sheet after 20 minutes. Bake to a deep, 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 in half and thaw as needed. When older, it makes wonderful toast and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Adapted from a recipe by Cliff Weedman.

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BAUERNBROT

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/3 cups rye flour
2 packages dry yeast (rapid rise)
3 2/3 cups warm water (110 f)
3 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons coriander (ground)
1 cup sourdough starter
1 egg yolk

To make sourdough starter, mix 2/3 cup rye flour, 2/3 cup warm water and 1 package of the yeast together in a tall container (needs to be tall as the starter will start to rise) seal and keep in a warm place for 3 or 4 days. May be kept in refrigerator indefinitely as long as it is used and fed - replace with equal amounts of water and flour of what was taken out.

The day prior to baking, mix the flours in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Place the starter in the well, mix a little flour from the sides of the well, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. In the morning, mix the yeast with the 1 cup of warm water and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. After the yeast has started to expand, pour on the starter and mix well, then pour the remaining 2 cups of water, salt and coriander on the mixture and, using a machine with dough hooks, knead into a smooth dough. If it appears too sticky add a little all purpose flour. Knead until dough is smooth.

Remove and place in a covered bowl where the sides and bottom have been lightly oiled cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until double in size. Turn out and knead by hand until elastic, divide into two parts and form into round loaves. Place on a cookie sheet, let rise covered for an hour or until double in size. Mix the egg yoke with a tablespoon water and brush both loaves with the mixture, using a sharp knife cut an "X" in the middle of each loaf and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 1 hour.

NOTE: Place a small pan of water on the oven floor to provide moisture while baking.

You may add 100 grams sunflower seeds, 1 tbs caraway seed, 100 grams fried bacon bits and/or diced fried onions to the mixture during the 2nd kneading if desired.

Adapted from Source: Sherie's Kitchen/German Recipes