American Baker in Germany

This was a request by a viewer, as Germany has some of the best bread in the world, in my opinion. So, this is a German recipe for rye bread. German Rye Bread: 3 2/3 cups (460g) all-purpose flour (German 550) 1 cup (125g) rye flour (German Roggenmehl) 1 2/3 cup (380mL) warm water 2 tsp salt 1 tbsp dry yeast Combine water and yeast as well as a tablespoon of all-purpose flour.  In a large mixing bowl, combine rye flour and salt. Stir in yeast mixture.  Slowly add all-purpose flour until mixture reaches bread dough consistency (soft, but not sticky).  Allow to rise for four hours. (The longer rising time is necessary to grow the yeast enough to combat the heavier rye flour.)  Knead briefly and form into a loaf. Place in a loaf pan, or onto the pan you intend to use if you want to allow it to bake free-form.  Allow to rise another hour.  Bake at 445°F or 230°C for about 45 minutes. This bread is lovely and smooth. It has a great rye flavor without the grainy t...

This is a fairly standard German wheat bread recipe. Germans love their seeds and nuts. Alternatively, you could use sunflower seeds instead of walnuts. Whole Wheat Walnut Bread: 5 cups (625g) whole wheat flour  2 cups (450mL) warm water 1 tbsp dry yeast 1 tsp salt 1 cup (150g) chopped walnuts Add water, yeast and 2 tbsp flour to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a spoon until dissolved. Mix salt and flour together, then stir into water mixture. Knead the dough a few minutes. You may need a tablespoon or two more or less flour. Dough should be soft, but shouldn't stick to your fingers. Allow to rise until doubled in size. About 1 hour. Punch down dough and knead walnuts into the dough. Shape into bread shape and place in form. Allow to rise another half an hour before baking for 45 minutes at 350°F or 180°C. Butter top immediately after removing from oven. For a crispier crust, bake with a pan of water in the oven. This bread is hearty and crunchy with lots of texture. And the flavor ...