Make German Bauernbrot, a Recipe for Farmer's Bread (2024)

  • German Food
  • Bread Basics

By

Jennifer McGavin

Jennifer McGavin

Jennifer McGavin learned to cook German food while living in Germany for 11 years and has worked in the food industry for many years.

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Updated on 08/3/22

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Make German Bauernbrot, a Recipe for Farmer's Bread (1)

Prep: 60 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Proof and Rest : 5 hrs

Total: 7 hrs

Servings: 6 servings

Germany loves its bread. Thousands of varieties of carefully crafted bread are baked daily to fulfill the country's love for this nutritious and wholesome dish. Far from the store-bought loaves of bread that convenience has made us accustomed to, German farmer's bread is hearty, dense, crusty, and simply delicious. Eaten as an accompaniment to a variety of dishes, from stews and soups to meat-heavy meals, this bread is a treat when simply eaten with fresh butter or cheese.

Our recipe is one of the easiest German breads to reproduce at home, and although it requires some time commitment, most of it is used up by resting the dough and allowing the chemistry of proofing to do its magic. This hearty bread requires a mix of half white and half whole-wheat flours, some sourdough starter for taste and texture, and the classic German addition of caraway seeds. Two rises make this bread light and easy to slice, perfect for serving with soup, or preparing an Abendbrot, or the "evening bread," in which a spread of sandwich fixings is laid out for the family to enjoy. This recipe makes one large bauernbrot laib, or loaf, and freezes well. Thaw at room temperature before toasting or warming up.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 2 1/2 cups white flour, or all-purpose or bread flour

  • 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 teaspoons caraway seed

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 tablespoon vinegar

  • 1 cup plain yogurt

  • 1/4 cup sourdough starter

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water, optional

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, for greasing the bowl

For Baking:

  • 2 cups boiling water

Steps to Make It

Make the Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. Mix the flours, oats, salt, caraway seed, and instant yeast together in a large bowl.

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  3. In a small bowl, mix together the milk and vinegar to create a sour milk.

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  4. Add the sour milk, yogurt, and sourdough starter to the dry ingredients and begin to mix with a large spoon. If you have access to a standing mixer, put in all ingredients and mix at low speed with the help of the hook attachment.

  5. Mix all ingredients until the dough forms a ball, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if needed. The dough should be slightly sticky.

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  6. Continue kneading either with the mixer or on a lightly floured board for 5 to 7 minutes.

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  7. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead again for 1 minute.

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  8. Form dough into a smooth ball and place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat the top.

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  9. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

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Shape the Dough

  1. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board andpat it into arectangle. Indent with fingertips down the middle.

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  2. Fold a third of the dough to the middle, lengthwise, pulling the dough taut on the bottom. Press the seam a little to seal.

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  3. Fold the other third to the middle, pulling the dough taut, and pinch the seam closed.

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  4. Roll over, the dough seam-side down, and rock gently while rounding the ends to make the loaf either longer or fatter, whichever you prefer.

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  5. Place dough on parchment paper, baking sheet, or silicone mat, then dust the top with flour, and let it rise until doubled.

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  6. Heat the oven to 500 F for 1 hour before baking. About 30 minutes before you plan on baking, slash the top with a sharp razor blade or lame at least 1/4-inch deep.

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Bake the Bread

  1. Place a baking stone inside of the oven while it preheats, following the manufacturer's instructions. Place an old pan on the bottom rack and set the second rack in the middle.

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  2. Once the oven is hot, place the bread on the middle rack, still on the parchment or floured baking pan, or transfer it onto the baking stone. Immediately, pour 2 cups of boiling water into the bottom pan, and close the door.

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  3. Using a spray bottle filled with water, spray the sides of the oven after 2, 5, and 7 minutes. Next, turn the oven temperature down to 450 F and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down again to 350 F and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures 190 F to 200 F or the loaf is brown and sounds hollow when firmly tapped on the bottom.

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  4. Remove and let cool 2 hours before slicing.

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  5. Enjoy!

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What is a sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter is a medium to cultivate wild yeast. As opposed to domesticated and commercially available dry or fresh yeast, wild yeast lives all around us on all surfaces like our skin, kitchen counter, or our house walls, and we can cultivate it with the help of a sourdough starter. Although making a starter requires time and patience, as it likes certain environments better than others to develop, creating one is how we can use wild yeast for making delicious loaves of bread and other bakery items. You can make a sourdough starter at home, buy it, or if you're lucky, perhaps a friend is already cultivating one.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
470Calories
6g Fat
90g Carbs
17g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories470
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g7%
Saturated Fat 1g7%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 756mg33%
Total Carbohydrate 90g33%
Dietary Fiber 8g30%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 0mg2%
Calcium 158mg12%
Iron 5mg27%
Potassium 443mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • bread
  • german bread
  • side dish
  • german

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Make German Bauernbrot, a Recipe for Farmer's Bread (2024)

FAQs

What is Bauernbrot made of? ›

Bauernbrot Variations

Flour: Vary the proportion of rye flour and bread flour to your liking. Or eliminate the rye flour altogether and use all bread flour. You can also make a whole wheat loaf by replacing about 1/2 of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. You will need to add a little more water if you do.

What is farmers bread made of? ›

Farmer's Bread: Flour, Water, Time, Yeast and Salt.

What is German bread made of? ›

Most German breads are made with sourdough. Whole grain is also preferred for high fiber. Germans use almost all available types of grain for their breads: wheat, rye, barley, spelt, oats and millet.

What's the difference between German bread and American bread? ›

Bread in Germany, on the other hand, contains less additives and preservatives due to age-old baking traditions, strict food laws and rigorous quality standards for bakers. The USA has liberal laws for the application of pesticides.

Is Bauernbrot rye bread healthy? ›

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.

Is German bread healthy? ›

Pumpernickel is often considered a bit healthier, more nutrient-dense bread option compared to many rye varieties (since the bran and germ provide some great fiber, protein, and micronutrients).

What is the best bread in Germany? ›

The most popular type of German bread can vary depending on the region and personal preferences. However, some of the most beloved breads in Germany include Roggenbrot, a sourdough rye bread, and Weißbrot, a classic white loaf bread.

Why does German bread taste better? ›

Flour: German bread is typically made from a variety of whole-grain flours, which gives it a dense and hearty texture, while American bread is often made from refined flours, which makes it lighter and softer in texture.

Is Schwarzbrot healthy? ›

It is healthy and delicious with carefully prepared sourdough, rye flour and walnuts. Those who taste German bread, which is famous for its delicious smell and taste, prefer our brand.

Why is German bread so dense? ›

German bread is unlike any other bread known to Europe. It is dark, chewy and dense, composed mainly of whole grains, such as rye, spelt, and millet. Wheat is taking a back-seat compared to other countries, where it is the dominant grain, resulting in lighter, whiter and starchier (and less healthy) bread types.

What is the best bread in the world? ›

The top 10 best breads in the world are, check ranking here:
  1. Roti canai, Malaysia.
  2. Pan de bono, Colombia.
  3. Butter garlic naan, India.
  4. Nan-e barbari, Iran.
  5. Pão de queijo, Brazil.
  6. Baguette, France.
  7. Naan (collectively), India.
  8. Piadina Romagnola, Italy.
Sep 14, 2023

What was war bread made of? ›

He describes this as "a farmhouse loaf in New England kitchens for more than 150 years. When white flour was scarce, often in wartime, this blend of rolled oats, cornmeal and whole wheat was added to the flour to make it go farther.

What is Borodinsky bread made of? ›

Borodinsky bread
TypeBread
Main ingredientsa mixture of rye and whole wheat flour, yeast, salt, barley malt syrup, black treacle or molasses, coriander and caraway seeds
Media: Borodinsky bread
1 more row

What is pumpernickel flour made from? ›

Pumpernickel bread is usually made with a high proportion of rye flour and a small amount of wheat flour. It's the rye flour however that's of particular interest. Traditional Old World black pumpernickel bread uses coarse rye flour that's ground from the entire rye berry. This flour is sometimes referred to as 'meal'.

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