Whole Grain German-Style Bread
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
I adapted this recipe previously from Food.com. It quickly became a favorite, taking me back to my college days in Vienna, Austria. The hearty texture and unique ”tang” from the vinegar makes my kitchen smell like the old-school bakeries (or Bäckerei in German) that I popped into daily on my way to German class.
Author:
Serves: 12 hearty slices / 1 9x5 loaf
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Warm Water
  • 3-1/2 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast (just over 1-1/2 .25-ounce packages will do)
  • 5-1/4 Cups Whole Wheat or Whole Spelt Flour (or a combination of the two)
  • 2-1/2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons White or Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Cup Seeds (I use ⅓ cup each of sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seeds)
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in about ½ cup of the water (no need to be exact, you will be adding the rest of the water shortly).
  2. Let that rest for a few minutes while you grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
  3. Sift the flour and salt into the bowl. Add all remaining ingredients (rest of the water, vinegar, and seeds), and mix until a relatively smooth dough is formed. Mine was still a touch sticky, but still able to be handled and formed without completely sticking to my fingers.
  4. Form the dough into a loaf shape that will fit end to end in your pan. I just sort of shape it, and then roll it a few times on the counter to make it look a little nicer and be the right length.
  5. Lightly cover the loaf with saran wrap or a tea towel, and let it rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place, for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should double in size and fill out the pan nicely.
  6. Preheat your oven to 480ºF (250ºC). Bake the loaf for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 390ºF (200ºC), and bake it for another 45 minutes.
  7. Remove the loaf from the pan (it should pop right out), and knock on the bottom. If it genuinely sounds hollow, then it is done. If you think it needs a little more time, pop it back in the oven and bake it for longer as needed. My loaf was done after the initial hour, but you may need another 10-20 minutes, depending on moisture and such.
Notes
Humidity and altitude do affect the rise with bread baking. Higher altitudes will yield loaves that rise quickly and to boisterous heights, while humid climates will produce a more moist bread. Adjust the moisture level of the dough and the rising time to accomodate for these environmental differences as needed.

This recipe is Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy free, Egg free, Nut free, Peanut free, Soy free, Sugar free, and Low fat.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/german-style-whole-grain-bread-recipe