Authentic German Bread Recipe (Vollkornbrot) A thoroughly authentic German bread that’s nutrient dense with a fabulous texture and positively packed with flavor! This makes a large loaf that freezes well so you can conveniently grab some whenever you’re in the mood.
Authentic German Bread (Vollkornbrot)
Few things are better than a freshly baked loaf of bread slathered down with butter and some good jam. That’s true for crusty breads with fluffy interiors and the more hearty, dense breads that I also know and love from Europe. Here is a German bread that is beloved throughout Germany and is also widely enjoyed in Austria and Switzerland. It features a grain called Einkorn that is used throughout much of western Europe, but feel free to substitute other grains according to your preference.
Dense, chewy, packed with nutrition and full of flavor, this whole grain German brown bread (Vollkornbrot) is wonderful with your choice of butter, jam, Nutella, cheese, or cold cuts.
Have you heard of the grain einkorn before? Modern day wheat over the centuries has undergone a series of genetic changes for the purpose of increasing yield and gluten content. It almost unidentifiable to its ancestor (and my guess is that is why gluten issues are a more recent occurrence). Einkorn is the most ancient form of wheat on earth and hasn’t undergone these genetic changes. It is the purest form of wheat we have. You can purchase einkorn online HERE.
The advantages of einkorn: Most agree it tastes better than wheat and is much easier to digest, even easier than spelt. Compared to the gluten in modern day wheat, it contains a structurally different composition of gluten that the body is able to digest more easily. In fact, many people with gluten free issues who have switched to einkorn have found that they’re able to tolerate and digest it with ease.
Even visually there’s a difference between wheat and einkorn. Wheat (left) is nearly double the length of einkorn (right). Einkorn also has a deeper caramel color.
It’s unfortunate that as wonderful as Einkorn is, and common as Einkorn is in many places throughout western Europe, it’s almost unheard of here and very few places sell it. And for that reason it’s also much more expensive here in the U.S.. Hopefully that will change as it becomes more common. The same was true of spelt for a long time and though it’s still far less common than wheat here in the U.S. its price-point has gone down.
I buy all of my grains, including einkorn, in bulk. I take out what I need for a few weeks at a time and store the rest in a dark, cool place. It saves money that way and I have easy access to everything I need. And I LOVE being able to grind my own grains fresh as needed and make up my own fresh baking mixes!
My German-made KoMo grain mill is the pride and joy of my kitchen. German engineering at it’s best, the KoMo grain mill is simply awesome. You can grind your grains as fine or as coarsely as you like.
With a 12-year warranty this thing is a work-horse and does a magnificent job. I use it nearly every day grinding my own flours, making cornmeal and a variety of mixes. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
This traditional German bread uses a combination of whole einkorn berries and ground einkorn flour. Whether you’re grinding your own grains or buying the flour already ground, you’re absolutely going to love the texture and flavor of this wonderfully hearty, rustic and thoroughly authentic German bread!
How to Make Vollkornbrot (German Whole Grain Bread)
Let’s get started!
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water and let sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
Place all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. (You can do this by hand if you prefer.)
NOTE: I personally don’t pre-soak the whole or cracked grain berries and let my batter ferment for a full 24 hours which softens the berries. Depending on the age of the grains you’re using they may require a pre-soaking in order to be adequately soft. If you wish you can pre-soak the grains overnight (pour hot water over them and let them sit) and then thoroughly drain for an hour or so.
Add the yeast mixture along with the buttermilk and beer. Knead on the bread setting (#2) for 10 minutes.
Scoop the mixture into a non-reactive bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours, preferably longer, up to 24 hours (the longer the better for the whole grain berries to soften and for heightened sourdough properties. If you’re letting it sit for less than 24 hours, presoak the grains overnight in advance and drain thoroughly). Also, the longer it ferments the more liquid will be absorbed so less chances of a moist center after baking.
The mixture will be thick and gooey but will not resemble typical bread dough.
Scoop the mixture into a generously buttered Pullman Loaf Pan and smooth the top so it’s even.
Baking this bread in a Pullman loaf pan yields those nice small, square slices of bread. But it also helps ensure that the center of the bread is fully cooked. Plus, when I’m making other breads that rise a lot, the Pullman has a top on it that slides shut to keep the bread compact (this Einkornbrot doesn’t rise a lot during baking so I don’t bother putting the lid on for it). It’s also the loaf pan that is used to make the famous French pain de mie bread. I like to use it for a lot of my heartier European style breads.
Sprinkle the top with rolled oats.
In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, bake it on the middle rack for 100-120 minutes or until the center is done.
For best and most accurate results, use an instant read thermometer and aim for an internal temperature of about 205 degrees F.
Let is sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing it, then let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing it.
We have a decades-old Hobart commercial slicer that we picked up on Craigslist years ago. I used to be the manager of a delicatessen in England and Hobart is the gold standard in food slicers. In fact, the very same model that we have is on display at the Smithsonian!
I realize we got lucky and most of you aren’t going to find a good-priced Hobart on Craigslist, but there are other good slicers on the market that are vastly cheaper and do the job. Chef’s Choice Slicers are consistently ranked at the top. I haven’t personally tried one, but they get excellent reviews. Having a good slicer to get clean, thin slices of bread that look like something you bought at a professional bakery is really nice. Plus, whenever I find chunks of cooked ham, turkey or cheese on sale I get those and slice them myself – it’s much cheaper than buying them at the deli.
At the very least you’ll need an excellent bread knife and for that my favorite knife, hands down, is the Cutco 9 3/4″ Slicer. It glides smoothly through bread and meat like no other.
Enjoy!
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Be sure to also try our recipe for traditional Danish Rye Bread!
German Bread (Authentic Vollkornbrot)
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups einkorn flour you can also use whole wheat, spelt, rye or combination
- 1/2 cup whole einkorn berries or wheat, spelt or rye berries (***See NOTE about soaking)
- 1 3/4 cups cracked einkorn berries or wheat, spelt, rye (**See NOTE about cracking the grains **See NOTE about soaking)
- 1 cup whole flax seeds
- 1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar , optional but recommended
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 cup mild beer (optional, for a maltier flavor) at room temperature (can substitute water or buttermilk instead)
- Rolled oats for sprinkling
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. (You can do this by hand if you prefer.) Then add the yeast mixture along with the buttermilk and beer. Attach the dough hook and knead on the bread setting (#2) for 10 minutes. Scoop the batter into a large non-reactive bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours, preferably longer, up to 24 hours (the longer the better for the whole grain berries to soften and for heightened sourdough properties. Also the longer it ferments the more liquid will be absorbed so less chances of a moist center after baking.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Scoop the batter (it will be thick and gooey but not like regular bread dough) into a generously buttered 13x4x4 Pullman loaf pan and smooth the top to even it out. Sprinkle with oats. (Note: Baking this bread in a Pullman loaf pan yields those nice small, square slices of bread. But it also helps ensure that the center of the bread is fully cooked.) I always bake this without the lid on.
- Bake on the middle rack for 100-120 minutes or until the center is done. For best and most accurate results use an instant read thermometer and aim for about 205 degrees F. Let the bread sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing it, then let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing it. To get clean, professional slices I highly recommend using a bread slicer.
Notes
- How to "crack" the whole berries: I use my grain mill to crack them by putting it on the coarsest setting. Another option is if you have a Vitamix and use the dry container - pulse the whole berries a few times until you get coarse pieces of einkorn. A powerful food processor will likewise do the job. Alternatively you can also place the whole berries in a ziplock bag and use a heavy object to pound them to break them up.
- Soaking the Grains: I personally don't pre-soak the whole or cracked grain berries and just let my batter ferment for a full 24 hours which softens the berries, and I've always had great results. However, depending on the age of the grains you're using (even if you just bought them they may have sat in the store or warehouse for a long time) they may require a pre-soaking in order to be adequately soft. If you wish you can pre-soak the grains overnight (pour hot water over them and let them sit) and then thoroughly draining.
Juergen says
Like many other commenters, I’ve had an interest in making this bread with my sourdough starter after baking it a few times with yeast with great results. I have made the bread twice with sourdough so far. Like someone else posted already, I replaced the 2 tsp of yeast with 227g of my sourdough starter/levain at 100% hydration. I reduced the water from 500ml to 382ml to make up for the liquid in my levain.
The first time I let the mixed dough sit at room temperature for 24 hours. While the dough looked OK and it baked like I was used to, the finished bread had a very sour, almost smoky smell and taste to it. Still edible for sure, but not as good as I hoped. It looks like the 24 hours at room temperature led to an overproofed dough. The yeasted dough probably isn’t as susceptible to overproofing compared to the sourdough.
The second time I decided to refrigerate the dough for part of the 24 hours. My levain was a little slow on the day of mixing the dough so I actually mixed all the other ingredients aside from the levain and let them sit for about 6 hours at room temperature. I then added the levain and let the dough sit for another 8 hours at room temperature. I then refrigerated the dough for another 10 hours before baking it in a 13x4x4 Pullman pan for about 2 hours and 20 min. It came out great this time. It actually rose quite a bit above the top of the pan, which didn’t happen in previous attempts with sourdough or yeast. The texture was perfect and it tastes great.
A couple of other substitutions I made to the recipe is to replace sugar with barley malt syrup and to replace the buttermilk with oat milk and lemon juice.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Kimberly! I literally grew up on Vollkornbrot in Germany and had it every morning for breakfast and in school for as long as I can remember. It’s great to be able to bake my own now.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Juergen, thank you so much for the detailed feedback on your sourdough process!
Cal Havlicek says
Hi Kimberly,
I want to thank you for this. I first had volkornbrot when attending university and couldn’t figure out how to make it. I have now been making it for two years thanks to you. I ship einkorn from the opposite end of the country and grind it myself with my KoMo mill. I have tried several variants adding pumpkin seeds, caraway, walnuts and raisins and using double the beer, mead, apple cider and coffee. Also I have added 3 TBSP of good high fat cocoa and molasses too. It is so flexible and always produces a great result.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s terrific, Cal, I really appreciate the feedback and am thrilled that this has become a go-to for you – thank you! Agreed, it’s a very “flexible” recipe in terms of swapping out different ingredients and adding a few additional ones.
Inna says
Hi Kimberly!
I would love to try your recipe but since I love 100% or close to 100% rye bread I would like to hear your opinion what would be the proportion of rye flour and spelt (this is what I am planning to use) to get as much rye as possible (I have dark/medium/light rye flours). I was thinking 0.5 cup of bread flour, 1 cup of spelt+1 cup of light rye+2 cups of dark rye. Can I use more rye? I also would love to use oat bran. Do I use it instead of flour or instead of cracked berries
Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Inna, you can use 100% rye if you prefer or any combination and ratio of wheat varieties. And yes, you can replace some of the flour with oat bran. I would aim for about 1 cup of oat bran as you generally only want to substitute 1/4 of the flour with bran when making bread. Happy baking!
Milica says
This is the best bread recipe we have ever found! Plain, with jam/jelly, toast, sandwich, etc. any way you can think of, just the perfect bread. My husband and I travel to Germany every year to train dogs and fell in love with German food. I hate to admit it…but this is better than the bread we had there and even shared the recipe with our German K9 family and they LOVE it! Well done! Thank you for introducing me to Einkorn flour as well, I use it in almost everything now.
Now we just need to see some good Serbian recipes here :-)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I am positively thrilled to hear that, Milica, thank you so much for the compliment! :) And I can’t argue with you about the Serbian recipes; a restaurant I frequently enjoyed going to in Germany was a Serbian one – great food :)
Bob says
Completely awesome, healthy bread!,, I have substituted different and various seeds (pumpkin, chia) nuts ( pistachio, sliced pine nuts) or currants at different times. Really hard to mess it up too much
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Bob, thanks so much!
Sabrina says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I was hoping you had some advice. I followed your instructions pretty carefully but my bread came out quite bitter. Do you have any recommendations on how to make it less bitter?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sabrina, if you used beer it may be the particular beer that you used – some are quite bitter. The other component could be the fermentation time – the longer the batter ferments the more sour the bread will be, so you can reduce the fermentation time.
Ali says
Kimberly – thank you very much for your quick response. I suppose the bread is a bit less sour when the buttermilk is substituted with water. We so appreciate this wonderful recipe -this bread brings back memories of home.
Ali says
Hi, Kimberly –
this bread is delicious. I want to make it again but just realized I don’t have buttermilk. Can I use regular milk?
Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ali, no problem. You can just use water or you can also make your own “buttermilk” that will contribute that acid component by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the cup of milk.
Webfoot says
This is a great recipe. My husband (who loves German bread) said it brought him right back to the days living above a bakery in Germany. I also want to say that I didn’t pre-soak anything and just let the very dry berries and mixed grains soak up all the liquid gradually during my 22-hour ferment.
For those who want to use sourdough, here are my modifications:
1. Substitute 2tsp active dry yeast with 1 cup sourdough starter (100% hydration)
2. Compensate liquid by removing 1/2 cup from water.
Some other substitutions I did:
1. Substitute einkorn berries with farro (a kind of wheat berry).
2. Substitute 1 1/2 cup sunflower and 1/4 cup sesame for 1 3/4 cups multigrain mix (sesame, flax, oatmeal, pumpkin, sunflower)
3. Substitute 2 Tbsp sugar for 1/2 cup molasses (remove another 1/2 cup from other liquids to compensate).
4. Sub 1 cup mild beer for water. The molasses also gave some malty flavor. Since beer flavor can vary widely, I just wanted the dark malty flavor that molasses gives.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Webfoot, I’m so glad you both enjoyed it and appreciate the info on the sourdough version!
Scott Beethe says
The third time was the charm! It turned out beautifully this time. I learned a lot from my two previous failures. This time I measured by scoops not weight and I did not pre-soak any of the grains or seeds; I also proofed the batter for 24 hours; I baked it for 150 minutes getting it to 203 degrees; I wrapped it in an air proof cling wrap after baking for a day to soften the exterior. Given that I like the sour and barley flavors, I am thinking about using barley malt syrup in place of the sugar next time. What do you think? Truly an awesome tasting bread as it is! It paid off to keep after it despite early mistakes and learning.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad your persistence paid off, Scott, congratulations and thank you for the feedback! Barley malt syrup is a nice choice.
Joseph Franklyn says
Made this recipe with high extraction strong bread red wheat flour from Utah with excellent results. The recipe for this type of bread was very approachable. Cracked whole wheat berries in Vitamix with decent result. Did no soaking of grains. Fermented for 18 hours but would change to 24 hours in future. Baked for 140 minutes at 350. Internal bread temperature in Pullman would reach only 203. The seeds on exterior were crunchy but the interior was fine, like other sourdoughs. Enjoyed the bread for breakfast today with poached eggs and ham..delicious. Slathered a slice with French cherry preserves, wonderful. Next is raspberry preserves with sprinkling of cinnamon for linzertorte experience….cream cheese with salmon, so many possibilities. Thank you for this recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Joseph, thank you so much for this detailed feedback!
Joseph Franklyn says
Just purchased the ingredients to try your Danish rye bread next. Wonderful, wonderful cooking website you have created…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Joseph! :)
Ingrid Z, Canada says
Hi Kimberly, I made the bread yesterday, using spelt flour and rye kernels (no berries up here, only kernels). I pre-soaked the whole and cracked rye kernels overnight and let the final batter sit for about 16 hours. I baked for about 140 minutes and the internal temperature was 210F when I took it out. I had issues getting the bread out of the form (different issue)and noticed that it was still very moist when a piece broke of. I put it back into the oven (45 minutes after taking it out)but had to take it out after another 45 minutes because I had to leave the house. It is still not done all the way but the outside is already pretty dry and hard. My immediate question is how do I get the inside done without making the outside even harder ? The taste of the ‘dry and done’ parts is great and we love it but most of it needs to be fixed.
Second question would be what went wrong ? Maybe I didnt drain the kernels enough after the soaking ? After adding the yeast, it was working and rising for about 1-2 hours but it seemed that the process stopped, It didnt really rise as much as I expected. Your input is very much appreciated.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ingrid, it definitely sounds like the kernels were too water-logged and didn’t drain enough. Next time I would skip the soaking altogether and just let your batter ferment for 24 hours – that’s what I do every time and always have success. Yeast/rising: This bread is very heavy and dense and the batter won’t rise much, so that is completely normal.
Ingrid Z, Canada says
Thanks Kimberly, I will definitely give it another try with 24 hours fermenting. Any suggestion on how I could fix the current version ? I don’t want to waste it but it needs to be more done. I did not have access to an oven since Friday, so I will return it to the oven now, in smaller forms and cover it. Hope my experiment works out.
Ingrid
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ingrid, I can’t think of anything else to try for the current loaf other than what you’ve already thought of. Good luck! And again, on the next try I would skip soaking the grains overnight.
Gwen says
Wenn ich das lese, kriege ich doch starkes Heimweh! Wie wäre das Brot wohl wenn man/frau es im Römertopf backen würde? Schon Mal ausprobiert?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hallo Gwen! Mit Römertopf hab ich es nie probiert, aber theoretisch sollte es gut klappen. Bitte erzähl uns wie es geht wenn du es versuchst!
Angela says
A+, this is so delicious! I couldn’t get my food processor to crack the wheat berries and was having trouble hammering it too, so I substituted bulgur for the cracked wheat berries and it worked out fine. I halved the recipe to bake in a normal bread pan. It took 2 hrs and 40 min to get up to 205 internal template. I think I will invest in the recommended bread pan for future loaves.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Angela, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you! Did you pre-soak the grains overnight or just let the batter ferment for 24 hours?
Anonymous says
I did not pre-soak the grains at all, I just fermented the batter for 24 hours. Thanks for the great recipe!
patrizia says
thank you so much for this recipe, i missed this bread so much as here in Canada they don’t sell it. i took a bite and felt catapulted to my home in Germany and i am so happy. its delicious.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, Patrizia, thank you!
cynthia says
My Einkorn berries did not arrive yet and I am making the bread this weekend. Is there any substitute that I can use instead.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cynthia, yes that’s no problem whatsoever. You can use any variety of wheat grain of your choice – regular wheat, spelt, einkorn, rye, kamut, farro….or any combination of them.
Cynthia says
The berries arrived and the bread came out delicious. I am slicing the bread. Could you tell me how you store you bread for best results? Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Cynthia!! I store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Linda Jones says
This is my second time making this recipe. . Followed the recipe to a T and it has worked beautifully. . Thank you for the tip of internal temperature. . I will make the bread often as we all love this bread in my house!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Linda, thank you!
Scott Beethe says
Kimberly, I am in the process of making your bread for the first time. I have a couple of questions. You use 4 1/2 cups of flour. Is that sifted or packed cups? I am concerned I put in the wrong amount; what weight equivalent in grams do you suggest. Second, if I soak the grains, should I lessen the amount of water I add with yeast? The batter just seemed pretty runny when I put it in the pan. My bread is in the oven as I write so the outcome is unknown. Thanks in advance for some guidance.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Scott, no, the flour is not sifted and no need to adjust the water amount. It is a batter, not a dough in the traditional sense of bread dough, so yes, it will be somewhat runny. How did your loaf turn out?
Donna Santistevan says
Oh that is good to know. I “poured” it out of the kitchen-aid into the bowl. I hope this works!!
Scott Beethe says
Kimberly, I have now tried twice to make this bread and I have had a problem twice where the batter fell and left a hole in the top part of the bread. The first time was because I misread the beer amount and under measured the flour. but I followed the measured recipe the second time. In both cases I put 4 cups of boiling water on the grain, cracked grain and seeds. It soaked it all up and did not drain anything. I am wondering if it just has too much moisture. I love the smell and am bound and determined to get it right. This next time I am planning to not soak the grains and let the batter set for 24 hours to soften them. Thoughts?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Scott, I would go with your plan to not soak the grains but be sure to let the batter ferment for 24 hours. Some of our readers have had better luck soaking them but I don’t and have had success every time.
Scott Beethe says
The third time was the charm! It turned out beautifully this time. I learned a lot from my two previous failures. This time I measured by scoops not weight and I did not pre-soak any of the grains or seeds; I also proofed the batter for 24 hours; I baked it for 150 minutes getting it to 203 degrees; I wrapped it in an air proof cling wrap after baking for a day to soften the exterior. Given that I like the sour and barley flavors, I am thinking about using barley malt syrup in place of the sugar next time. What do you think? Truly an awesome tasting bread as it is! It paid off to keep after it despite early mistakes and learning.
Cameron says
Hi, is my math correct, that this loaf yields 6120 calories?
Cameron says
Some other questions come to mind: what is the longest amount of time you would suggest for fermentation? Is 2 days too long? Is kefir a suitable substitute for buttermilk, and will a darker type of beer work okay? Thanks so much!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cameron, I would recommend 24 hours – try that first. Unless you like breads that are very “tart” I wouldn’t go beyond that. Beer: The flavor of the bread will already be very robust after the 24 hour fermentation time so again, unless you want an even stronger flavor I would stick with a mild beer. Same thing with the kefir, it will contribute a more pronounced sour flavor than the buttermilk will (I’ve made this kefir before). All of this comes down to personal preference though and what you’re used to – after experimenting a time or two you’ll be able to determine how you like it.
Cameron says
Kimberly,
So I made my first batch using kefir and Heineken for the beer. Everything else was per the recipe. Great success, best tasting bread I’ve ever eaten. Not sour at all, just mild smooth flavor. I ended up fermenting for about 32 hours or so.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Cameron, I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it and appreciate your feedback, thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s correct, Cameron. It’s a huge loaf – roughly 40 slices.
Sue says
I just made this recipe. I am loving it! I used only Einkorn. I accidentally weighed the Einkorn berries BEFORE processing them into cracked wheat, and the loaves came out perfect. I did let the dough sit for 24 hrs to ensure it would not be soggy and that the berries would absorb the liquids……the loaves came out perfect. I did not have the recommended pan so I used three small bread pans….they were full to the top when they went into the oven and they rose about 1/2″-3/4″ over the top. They look sensational. I used a dark beer….the taste was a little sour but not off putting at all. It is a hearty bread and both my husband and I are loving the crunch. Definitely use a digital thermometer…..I kept checking the temperature after the first sixty minutes of baking, since the loaves were small. They took a while, a hour and a half, possibly a little more. Just be patient and take the loaf out when checking the temp so as not to lose all the heat….Delicioso.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Sue, I’m SO glad you and your husband are enjoying this bread and appreciate the feedback!
Spencer M says
Hello, I really wanted to like this bread and was really excited about it, but to me, I found that the fermentation process made it almost inedible, unless I lathered it up with rich butter and jam – but then I wasn’t tasting the bread so much as the butter and jam, with the bread as my carrier of sweetness and butteryness. I hadn’t tasted fermented bread after living for a year and half in Germany, but had had plenty of thick, seedy bread, which is what I was looking for. Maybe I will try again without fermenting and re-review
Sandy says
Hi, I just tried it. Is it supposed to be so dense? Also, I used whole wheat grains and they just didn’t get soft, although I soaked them in boiling water overnight, drained them and again let the ‘dough’ rest for a full 24 hours before baking. Can I leave them out? If yes, what are the alternatives? I’m still on the hunt for a German bread recipe that’s perfect (tastes one years ago and haven’t forgotten the taste – simply divine!). Any and all suggestions will be welcome. I truly thought this was THE recipe. Perhaps I need to work at getting the einkorn. We don’t get it here (I’m in Lusaka). Thanks a bunch!
Cherie B says
I just finished the dough and now it’s resting. It’s like thick cake batter. Is that right? I boiled the cracked grain and it become like course hot cereal…maybe I cracked it too much in the blender. Anyway, I squeezed out as much liquid as I could and then cut back on the water in the recipe. It seems fine, but I’d appreciate your thoughts.
Also, I toasted the sunflower and sesame seeds! The batter tastes good already.
Cherie B says
Oh! I just realized I misread the recipe and should have only poured the boiling water over the grains. Well, it seems to be turning out anyway. It’s in the oven and smelling great.
Germanwind says
I tried this recipe and did run into some of the issues that others had with it. I sufficed the yeast with 200gr sourdough leaven (made from my trusty sourdough starter). I did not add all the liquid as described in the recipe as the leaven is rather on the liquid side. The dough rose very nicely doubling volume after about 3-4hrs. So I was pretty happy. After about 7hrs of letting the dough rise I placed the dough into the loaf pans and let it sit in the loaf pans for another hour. The dough came up to the top of the form and it was time to bake. I have to admit that I lost a bit track of the baking time as it is pretty long but I did use a permanent-reading temperature probe that I inserted into the dough after about 45min of backing. before I took the bread out the internal temperature of the dough was up to 215F. According to the information given that would be sufficient. After taking out the bread and letting it cool down I was eager to cut the bread. The bread looked airy and bubbles formed for about 3/4 down from the top, but the bottom 1/4 came out dense and too doughy. I think that the flax seeds made the dough too gooey and hence the dough could not form bubbles at the bottom or squeezed the bubbles more to the top due to the weight and gooey dough consistency. I will try again reducing the amount of flax seeds and will report back here if it made a difference. Other than that the bread tastes fantastic and i definitely will make it again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Germanwind, I can’t speak to the impact of altering the recipe by using a liquid sourdough leaven as I haven’t tried or troubleshooted it. But it sounds like there was still too much liquid in the bread batter. You let the batter sit for the minimum amount of time, 8 hours – did you pre-soak the grains and allow them to sit to thoroughly drain? They can retain a lot of water so thoroughly draining is key. But I strongly recommended letting the batter sit much longer – the longer the better – as that helps ensure proper liquid absorption and distribution. I let mine ferment for 24 hours. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor and hopefully by letting your dough ferment for 24 hours you’ll have greater success.
Anonymous says
Hi Kimberly, yes I soaked the grains the night before but all the liquid was absorbed. It did not look as if I can get any liquid out of the soaked grains. Is there a specific method you use. Next time I will make the batter a bit less wet and try again. Btw I cańt let it the batter sit for more than 8-10hrs because the sourdough leaving is most active during that time. Thanks for your reply, really appreciate it.
Robert Mullan says
Hi, Kimberly:
Based on your advice, I am now the proud owner of a KoMo grain mill! I have been using it almost daily (distractibaking, like so many others). A shipment of einkorn berries will arrive soon, and these will be the base grain for this recipe.
But first, a couple of questions. Do you suggest using the finest setting on the KoMo to grind the einkorn into flour? In light of discussion upstream, would a coarser grind result in a flour/carbohydrate that is “slower” (i.e., less quickly digestible)?
For the cracked berries, I have on hand spelt, hard and soft wheat, spelt, and rye. I’ll be using the KoMo to crack them. Do any of these grain options work better or worse in the KoMo?
Thanks for many fine recipes over the years. Staff in my office are eternally grateful for your Lebkuchen!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Robert, congratulations! I’ve been using mine 3-4 times a week for several years now and it’s still going strong.
Yes, I use the finest setting when grinding my flour but you can make it a little coarser if you prefer. I’m not sure that grain size itself is linked to a slower rate of conversion into glucose but in grinding your own flour you are ensuring that you truly have “whole” grain flour (complex carb), meaning the entire contents of the grain berry is in your flour (the bran, germ and endosperm).
For cracking the berries – I haven’t found that one works better than the other, they’re all great options. I set my KoMo to the coarsest possible setting for that.
Again, congrats on your new KoMo, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
Odi says
So, I am German and here are my five cents. I really like the recipe but if you want to bake a truly German bread, skip the sugar. No German who has an ounce of dignity uses sugar in bread, unless it is a sweet bread. Vollkornbrot, however, is a hearty bread and what makes German/Austrian bread so fantastic is that it does not contain any sort of sweetener. This is also the reason why you can actually eat this bread without gaining weight. Give it a try, it really makes it better.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Odi, any German “who has an ounce of dignity” would do their research before making sweeping statements that have no factual basis. I am German and I’m sorry but you are absolutely and unequivocally wrong on both counts. 1) There are MANY non-sweet German breads that use sugar, for example in the form of Rübenkraut and Zuckerrübensirup (sugar beet syrup). The sugar isn’t used just for flavor but it serves an important function in the chemical reactions that take place in the bread-making process.
2) I don’t know what planet you’re living on to think that bread, including Vollkornbrot, is some kind of miracle diet food that is exempt from causing weight gain. Grains are full of carbs.
Courtney says
Hello! I just made this bread and I cooked it until the internal temp was 205 but the crust was VERY hard and the inside was still gooey and felt way undercooked. I’d like to try and finish cooking the inside without making the crust even harder. Any tips??? The taste is fantastic!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Courtney, after the bread cooled down and sat a while was it still undercooked? The hard crust should have softened up after being stored in an airtight container for a few hours or overnight.
Elizabeth Burke says
Thank you! I am in the middle of making this bread right now and I am using 2 traditional loaf pans because that is all I have. The last time I made a heavy bread like this was in Germany and it did not cook in the middle: any advice?
Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Elizabeth, using the digital thermometer really is key to ensuring it’s cooked all the way through. With this kind of bread it’s really just too challenging to try and “guess”.
Chantal Stevens says
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I have made this bread several times and love it, but I don’t think it ever gets fully cooked. I use two pans, one bigger Pullman pan that uses 2/3 of the batter and a smaller regular bread pan for the last 1/3 (for a shallow loaf). I have left the bread in the oven for up to 140 minutes and when I slice the bread the middle of the slices is still sticky with no air bubbles. Should I cook longer? At higher temperature? Any tips?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Chantal, I strongly recommend using a thermometer for this bread to determine doneness. It’s harder to tell when heavy breads like this are done compared to regular, lighter yeast breads and so using a thermometer is the surest way to know when it’s done.
Chantal Stevens says
Thank you! The tip about the internal temperature (and the actual number) really helped. I have made this bread now 6-8 times, incorporating, addition to the einkorn wheat, flax and sunflower seeds a variety of grains and seeds — usually what I have on hand, including barley, bulgur, coarse corn meal, quinoa, amaranth, rolled or steel-cut oat, etc. All of them have blended in and softened well.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Chantal, thanks so much for the feedback!
Kate K says
This recipe calls for 1 3/4 cups cracked einkorn berries. Is this measured before or after the berries are cracked? The amounts would be different, wouldn’t they?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kate, that’s 1 3/4 cup cracked einkorn berries – so that’s measured after they’re cracked.
Kate K says
Thank you!
Kate K says
My batter is resting until tomorrow. Should I put the lid on the pan or leave it open?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kate, just cover loosely with some plastic wrap and bake it without the lid on.
Kate K says
Success! This bread is gorgeous! But I don’t like the flavor :'( It’s very sour and I’m not a fan of sour breads. It’s a shame because it’s so beautiful and the texture is divine.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kate, you can curb the sourness by omitting the beer and by soaking the whole grains overnight (then thoroughly draining) and proceeding as directed but forego the long fermentation period (e.g. prepare the batter in the morning, let it sit, and then bake it by the afternoon or evening).
Kate K says
Hi, Kim – I didn’t use beer. I used the whey from making yogurt. I will try soaking my whole grains first and prepare the batter using your timeline the next time. Thank you so much for your quick and helpful responses.
Barb says
Thanks for getting back so quick, and all I can say is Wow!! This bread is awesome. Because I only had 4c of einkorn flour, I added a 1/2 c rye flour to get to 4-1/2 cups. I had a dark beer on hand that added some malt flavor. This bread is absolutely fantastic. I am excited to share this with my family and friends.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Barb, I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, thanks so much for the feedback! :)
Barb K says
I bought a Pullman pan and it has 5 or 6 small holes going length wise in the bottom center of the pan. I’ve looked online at all sorts of Pullman pan models, and come have irregular shaped, or waffle bottoms, but I cannot tell if they have holes or not. Did I get a defective pan? Or did these holes allow the moisture to steam out? Do the holes make it more difficult to release from the pan? Thanks in advance for an answer.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Barb, I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a Pullman or any loaf pan with holes on the bottom. I looked up the question online and found a few threads with people asking the same question and a couple of the responses said it’s for air circulation and/or easier loaf removal. I’d say give it a try and see how it goes and if it appears to cause problems perhaps you can return it.
Serife says
Also is the temperature for a fan assisted oven?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Serife, these directions are for regular conventional oven settings. If you’re using convection reduce the temperature by 25 degrees F.
Serife says
Hi, do you cover the bread once it’s in the tin with the lid or bake it without the lid? Thanks xx
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Serife, I bake it without the lid on.
Claire Carrier says
Thank you for your prompt informative response. I’ll return the pullman pan and order a new one. I just ordered the whole flax seeds.
Hopefully everything will be here in the next couple of days. I can hardly wait to try the recipe.
Claire Carrier says
Hi! This recipe looks so delicious. I would like to know if ground flax seed can be substituted for the whole flax seeds with a good result. Also, the pan I ordered from BBB doesn’t sit quite flat on the counter like my other pans. Is that normal for a pullman loaf pan? If not, I’ll return it and order another one. I am excited about trying this recipe! Thank you for posting it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Claire, I haven’t tried it with ground but my worry is that ground flax seeds will absorb too much liquid and leave the bread dry. Yes, a pullman loaf pan should sit perfectly flat on the counter.
kathleen says
Flavor was so good but as I don’t make bread often, I was uncertain about many things, like should I punch it down or just plop it in the pullman and could I really use my mini cuisanart to crack the farro (it worked)and I wasn’t sure about the crispish outside and the wet inside and whether it was my oven or the way the bread is meant to be
Kathleen says
I was recently in Switzerland and I am looking for a recipe to reduce a fabulous whole grain bread w/ sunflower seeds. This seemed close. I made it w/ 1/2 rye and 1/2 spelt and a little Caputo flour with cracked farro, oat groats and flax seed(preground)and used the buttermilk and beer. My oven is very flakey and I had to run out and buy another thermometer and had trouble getting the whole oven to stay at 350*. I used a Pullman pan and rotated it and cooked it for 130 min. The inside temp was 200-205* so I took it out but I think the middle is still kind of wet, even overnight and cutting it open. However, as I have never made this before I don’t know how to judge. I was afraid if I left it in any longer it would be too hard on the outside. I did wrap it in a dish towel to cool so the outside wouldn;t get too crispy. I am afraid it will mold easily d/t the mositure. Thank you for the recipe; It tastes fabulous though not quite the bread I had in Switzerland.
Joe says
So one place states to proof up to 24 hours and other places indicate a two day proof. As a non baker, I am not sure if I am reading this wrong but it looks like something I would like to try
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joe, I don’t see anywhere where I indicated a 2-day proof. I recommend a minimum of 8 hours but more ideally 24 hours so that the whole grain berries can soften and for the increase sourdough benefits. You can ferment it for two days if you prefer, just be sure the batter doesn’t dry out – also the bread will be quite sour after a two-day ferment.
Klaus says
So I’m in the process of making this right now. I used the metric recipe, if that matters. It’s currently VERY runny. Like pancake batter. Will it thicken up overnight? Also, this looks like a HUGE amount. I don’t have the 13x4x4 so was just going to do a regular bread loaf pan. Will this make two then?
I’m a little worried because this looks like no bread I’ve ever made (but I grew up in Germany and your pictures certainly look familiar!)
Hope it works out…
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Klaus, it will thicken more, yes, but it is supposed to be a loose batter, not thick and firm. If after several hours it’s still really runny, stir in a little more flour. This recipe is made specifically for a 13x4x4 inch pan so that batter will be too much for a regular loaf pan and likely not enough for two. If you have a smaller loaf pan I would fill a regular loaf pan and use the remaining batter in a small loaf pan.
Klaus says
Thanks for your reply and especially for getting it posted in time for me to make adjustments if necessary. I’ll report tomorrow.
Klaus says
Ok, you were right and my doubts were unfounded!
The bread is delicious. It has the right mix of chewy and elastic, with a nice little crust. It’s very hearty and filling. Delicious with butter and jam as well as with a salty cheese. It is just a touch bitter, but that may be due to my choice of beers. I made two regular loaf pans with the recipe, the second one only filled about 2/3 of the way. The slices come out more rectangular but it’s fine.
So, some follow up questions. Have you tried mixing and matching different kinds of flour and berries? It seems like using rye berries and rye flour would work particularly well. Have you tried spelt? Nuts? What is the role of the beer and the buttermilk? I’ve seen similar recipes that just use water. Is it for flavor, or are there also chemical texture things going on?
Anyway, thanks for the attentive reply to my first question and for a great recipe. Brought me back 30 years and 3000 miles. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Klaus, I’m so glad it was a success! The buttermilk/beer: Yes, it’s for flavor and it also assists in the fermentation process. As noted though you can use water instead. The sourness of the bread will depend on the beer you use as well as how long you allow the batter to ferment. And absolutely, you can use other flours and grain berries. I regularly use spelt and rye as well. So glad you enjoyed this bread and thanks for the feedback!
Agnieszka says
Hi, the bread looks delicious. After transferring the dough to the baking pan should we allow it to raise a bit or bake strait away?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Agnieszka, the bread will not continue to rise, it will just continue fermenting, so bake straight away.
Andrea says
Excellent recipe! Thank you SO much. I made one this weekend and will make many more from now on. This tastes like the Saatenbrot from a good health food store in Germany. Sadly, over the last 20 years a lot of small family owned bakeries closed in Germany and big bakery chains took over. I don’t like their bread at all any more because the quality so declined. This bread tastes like good bread from a Bioladen. And it is quite easy to make. I baked it for 95 minutes at 350 degrees in a “Kastenform” (not sure of the English name). Never used a Thermometer, I just used the “how does it sounds when I knock on the bottom, if it sounds hollow it is done” method and it was perfect. I would make this in Germany from scratch as well, because is is such a great tasting bread.
And I agree, Einkorn is such a beautiful grain and I am very grateful I can buy it locally.
Greetings from Alaska.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Andrea, I’m so glad you enjoyed this and appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Elena says
Hi! I don’t currently have wheat berries but can easily get them again, but what I do have and am trying to usE up is a lot of dry whole grain cereals such as kamut, oat bran and some other high fiber and protein cereals. Do you think I could replace them for the berries and do you think keeping them “whole” would work or pulse them as well ? When I’ve use them and other bread recipes I am definitely a novice by the way… :) I usually soak them in the hot water first because I feel like if I left them they could be crunchy but I really don’t know! If you have any tips, please share! Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Elena, kamut is an ancient form of wheat so that will be a perfect substitute. Happy baking!
Donna says
Hi it’s me again 😂 Have you done a version with sourdough starter? How much would you use in place of yeast? Thanks for any help 🙂
Donna says
How big is your pullman pan please? This looks so good!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Donna, it’s 13x4x4 inches.
Christina says
So Kimberly, how do you crack the einkorn berries?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Christina, I use my grain mill to crack them by putting it on the coarsest setting. Another option is if you have a Vitamix and use the dry container – pulse the whole berries a few times until you get coarse pieces of einkorn. A powerful food processor will likewise do the job. Alternatively you can also place the whole berries in a ziplock bag and use a heavy object to pound them to break them up.
Christina Christopoulos says
Can you also buy cracked einkorn berries from Amazon?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I don’t think so, Christina, I’ve never seen it.
Robert says
One of the best breads I’ve ever made in many years of baking! I used it in a grilled cheese sandwich with sharp Vermont cheddar. Indescribably good! I didn’t change a thing in the recipe! Be prepared for a lot of chewing…this bread does not go down fast!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Robert, and really appreciate the feedback, thank you! And that’s true about the chewing, lol – but that’s great for digestion! :)
Lynn Christensen says
Hi Kimberly,
I have a Vitamix equipped with the grain blade so I will use this. I am glad you have a photo in your post so I can see how coarse to grind the ekihorn wheat berries.
Thank you very much for taking the time to give me such a thorough explanation!
Best wishes for a very happy 2020,
Lynn
Linda Shukri says
This bread looks awesome! It looks something similar to a “Hunter” bread I used to buy in a Spice and grain shop in Concord, MA many years ago. It was sliced thin. I really loved it.
I’ve been using Einkorn flour for the past 2-3 years. I love it! I make chocolate chip scones and waffles with it. When I first used einkorn flour I was living in Canada at the time and ordered from Amazon.ca. I now order from Einkorn.com since I am back in the States and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg for shipping. They are in Idaho. They have the whole-wheat flour and the berries. I always buy the all-purpose but haven’t used the berries yet. I will have to get a Pullman pan first and order the whole berries before I can try this bread recipe.
I am of German/Swedish descent and I love seeing your German recipes! :-) Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Linda! The Pullman loaf creates the perfect square-shaped slices (and bakes the bread very evenly) and I like my slices thin as well. It’s a staple bread in our home. Happy baking and I hope you enjoy it!