Bauernbrot Rye Bread

Authentic-tasting Bauernbrot Rye bread is less demanding to make than you might have suspected.

It has a thick crumb, amazing flavor, and a stringy crust. It is the best German bread you will know!

Here’s how you can make Bauernbrot rye bread.

Health Benefits

Rye bread is a lot richer in protein, calcium, iron, and potassium as compared to wheat bread.

This bread is low in gluten, high in lysine (the amino acid that is good for the human body), and very low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It is also packed with zinc, copper, and selenium and contains dietary fiber and manganese.

Ingredients

all-purpose flour: 4 cups

compressed fresh yeast: 1 1/2 ounces

quart warm water: 1

white sugar: 2 tbsp

white rye flour: 8 cups

all-purpose flour: 4 cups

salt: 2 tbsp

white sugar: 1 tsp

warm water: 2 cups

How To Make Bauernbrot Rye Bread

1. Begin with making the sourdough starter. Take a large bowl and crush the yeast into it. Whip and dissolve in 1 quart of warm water and 2 tablespoons of sugar. The water should be lukewarm only. Slowly beat in 4 cups of flour, mixing mix until there are no lumps. Cover up using a dish towel and let stay for 24 hours at room temperature.
2. Once 24 hours have passed, blend well, cover up, and let rest for another 24 hours. You will get a thin, light-colored sourdough which is ready to use.
3. Take a large bowl; mix together the rye flour, 4 cups of all-purpose flour, salt and sugar. Blend in the sourdough starter with a wooden spoon. Next, add in 2 cups of warm water. Transfer the dough to a heavy-duty stand mixer to blend the first couple of minutes (as it can't handle the heavy dough) and then knead on a floured surface using your hands.
4. Work the dough, adding up a few tablespoons of water at a time if it is too hard. Knead thoroughly; the total kneading time should be 15 to 20 minutes to get soft dough. Set the dough in a big bowl, cover up, and let stand for 1-2 hours or until doubled.
5. When the dough has risen, scuff it out of the bowl and put back onto a floured surface. Press for about 5 minutes and shape into 1 or 2 long loaves. Put on baking sheets, and let expand for about 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F or 220 degrees C. Bake the dough for about 45 minutes for 2 loaves, or 1 ½ hours if it is one big loaf. Don't worry if the crust is dark, the bread will be delicious anyway.
7. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Trivia

Bauernbrot, or agriculturist's bread, is a healthy rye bread that is the standard bread in numerous German homes, particularly in the south.

Bauernbrot was customarily produced using scratch in farm homes and baked in ancient, whimsical wood-fire ovens.