Recipe: Baking bread

What could be better than a fresh slice of crunchy bread? Maybe with a little bit butter on it and fresh chives on top? I would say, not much! Margret from the farm Jagglhof in Saalfelden bakes original coarse rye bread since years and today she shares one of her recipes with us.

Fresh bread is an experience for all your senses! The light smell of yeast is nearly irresistable and the crunchy sound, when taking the first bite of the fresh bread, causes goose bumps. The bread looks delicious and we haven't even tasted it yet. When I look at the bread, immediately a tasty breakfast and a proper snack at a mountain hut come to my mind. With this recipe you can make your own tasy breakfast or snack at home.  

 

Tips for the preparation: 

Baking really good bread isn’t difficult; you just need plenty of time. Giving the dough enough time to rest is the be-all and end-all of bread-baking. It doesn’t like being rushed, and there’s absolutely no point in hurrying it. So: take your time, turn it into a ritual, and give it your full attention. Then you’ll be rewarded with a fragrant, delicious and crispy loaf of bread!

Ingredients for 2 loafs of coarse rye bread: 

  • 1 kg rye flour
  • 125 g spelt wholemeal flour
  • 20 g salt
  • 20 g spices for bread
  • 1 yeast
  • 250 ml buttermilk
  • ~ 500 ml water

Preparation:

  1. Mix the rye flour and the spelt wholemeal flour, add the salt and the yeast (or dissolve the yeast in water).
  2. Add the bread spices (for example an organic spice mix from the brand Sonnentor).
  3. Mix all dry ingredients together and then add the lukewarm buttermilk and the lukewarm water. 
  4. Knead the dough thoroughly. Tip: Use your right hand for kneading and grab the bowl with your left hand. 
  1. Cover the dough and let it rest for about one hour at a warm place, without draught (until the volume of the dough doubles). 
  2. Take the dough out of the bowl and form two equal smaller pieces. (either you form loafs or you put the dough in a bowl again).
  3. Let the two loafs rest for about 20 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to about 220° celsius and put a metal bowl filled with water in the oven as well. In the meantime stab the loafs with a fork or a knive, so that the fermented gases can escape and the bread does not rip up.
  5. Put the bread in the oven and after about 15 minutes reduce the temperature to 190° celsius and bake it for about 40 minutes. You know that the bread is ready by doing the knock test. Just knock on the backside of the loaf - if it sounds hollow, the bread is ready. 

Magret and me wish you all the best!

Eure Kristina