A thoroughly authentic German Bread Recipe (Vollkornbrot)! This delicious traditional German whole grain seed bread is 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!
German Bread Recipe (Vollkornbrot)
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 205-210 degrees F.
Let is sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing it, then let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cooled you can slice the entire loaf in advance or slice as needed.
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!
For more delicious bread from around the world be sure to try our:
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 210 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.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet December 11, 2019
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.