German Wholemeal Bread Bauernbrot Recipe
Bauernbrot is a rustic German wholemeal bread with a slightly tangy flavour and a crisp crust. In many regions it’s baked once a week and eaten over several days with cold cuts, cheese or just butter. It’s similar to Polish rye bread, but often includes some wheat flour and gentle bread spices.
Bauernbrot is a bread that in Germany truly “lives” to the rhythm of the week – baked once, it’s meant to last several days and gains flavour with each passing day. It combines the tanginess of rye sourdough with the nutty notes of wholemeal flour and a gently spiced, deeply baked crust. It’s a bread that tastes just as good with plain butter as it does with a generous serving of cold cuts or cheese.
Chef's tips
Give both the sourdough and the dough enough time – if after rising the dough is springy and full of tiny bubbles, that’s a sign you’ll get a good crumb structure. Brown the crust to a deep brown, but be careful not to burn the bottom: if you’re baking on a tray, you can move the bread to a higher rack in the second half of baking. After baking, wait at least a few hours before slicing, otherwise the centre will smear and the bread will dry out quickly.
How to serve
It tastes best with simple toppings: butter, cottage cheese with chives or good ham – it’s an ideal bread for hearty workday sandwiches. It pairs wonderfully with cream soups (e.g. pumpkin or lentil) instead of rolls or croutons. For dinner with this bread, serve a light wheat beer or a glass of buttermilk if you prefer something non-alcoholic.
Ingredients
- rye flour type 720 or wholemeal - 250 g
- wheat flour type 550 or 650 - 250 g
- rye sourdough starter active, recently fed - 150 g
- water lukewarm - 280 ml
- fresh yeast optional, for more reliable rising - 10 g
- salt about 1.5 teaspoons - 10 g
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- caraway seeds whole or ground, optional - 1 teaspoon
- flour extra for dusting - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- In a large bowl, mix the rye sourdough starter with the lukewarm water until dissolved.
- Add the rye flour, wheat flour, salt, sugar and caraway. If using yeast, dissolve it in 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water and add to the bowl.
- Knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook for 8–10 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff and slightly sticky – this is normal with rye flour.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, until the dough has clearly risen (at least by half).
- Lightly flour the work surface. Transfer the dough and gently shape it into a round or oval loaf, trying not to knock out all the air.
- Place the loaf seam-side up in a proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured cloth. Cover and leave for another 45–60 minutes to puff up.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230°C (top and bottom heat) together with a baking tray or baking stone. Place an ovenproof dish with hot water on the bottom of the oven to create steam.
- Carefully transfer the loaf onto the hot tray, seam-side down. Score the top 2–3 times with a sharp knife. Put in the oven, after 10 minutes reduce the temperature to 200°C and bake for another 30–35 minutes, until the crust is deeply brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool the baked bread completely on a wire rack before slicing, preferably for at least 2 hours.
Storage
Store the cooled bread wrapped in a clean cloth or in a bread box at room temperature. For longer storage, slice and freeze it, then defrost individual slices at room temperature or in a toaster or oven.
