Eager for freshly baked bread though pressed for time? This easy-to-make German bread recipe is just what you need! This recipe makes a loaf that is so delicious in just 5 minutes of preparation, having a nice crunch on the top and softness which melts in your mouth inside. Required for your tasty sandwiches, for dipping in hot soup, or simply to enjoy with the aid of a pat of butter, this bread is a culinary experience for any bread aficionado. By following these German-based traditional baking techniques, the recipe brings crisp and easy veritable flavor to your table. Let’s just start making this beautiful bread pronto!
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Ingredients
- All-purpose flour or bread flour (3 cups)
- Instant yeast (2 tsp)
- Warm water (1 ½ cups, around 110°F/45°C)
- Salt (1 tsp)
- Honey or sugar (1 tbsp)
- Olive oil (1 tbsp, optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the warm water and honey (or sugar) to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a rough, sticky dough forms. If using, add the olive oil to the mixture to help keep the bread moist and add flavor.
Step 2: Knead the Dough
Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
Step 3: Let the Dough Rise
Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for about 5-10 minutes. While traditional recipes call for a longer rise, this quick version allows you to skip the long proofing time!
Step 4: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). If you have a Dutch oven or an oven-safe pot with a lid, place it in the oven to preheat as well. This will help create a crispy crust on the bread.
Step 5: Shape the Dough and Bake
Once the dough has rested, shape it into a round loaf or place it directly into the preheated Dutch oven or baking dish. If you prefer, you can also shape it into rolls or a baguette. Use a sharp knife to make a few slashes on top of the dough to allow steam to escape while baking.
Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. If you’re using a Dutch oven, remove the lid for the last 5-10 minutes of baking to allow the crust to crisp up.
Step 6: Cool and Serve
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing. Enjoy this delicious German bread warm with butter, cheese, or your favorite spread!
Serving and Storage Tips
Serve with butter, honey, or jam in a warm state or cut open bread for sandwiches, bruschetta, and croutons.
Store in an airtight container, or keep it in a bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days for the purpose of storing leftovers.
For freezing, place in plastic wrap after cooling and put inside a bread bag. Will keep in a freezer for 2 days. Defrost overnight at room temperature; furnace-warm for a few minutes before serving.
Helpful Notes
To get a crust that is not so crunchy, coat the top just after taking bread out of the oven with melted butter.
Add to the dough caraway seeds, sunflower seeds, or herbs-a wonderful and healthy way of stuffing more seeds in there.
If you’d like, replace half of the flour with wholemeal flour. Oh, who knows? Actually, they’d go wonderfully together!
Tips from Well-Known Chefs
Paul Hollywood says using fresh yeast and high-quality flour will make your bread taste and feel better.
Ina Garten suggests that the dough may benefit if a couple of spoons of honey are stirred, giving a very faint sweetness and an elegant brown.
Jamie Oliver is for using a Dutch oven or other portable oven-safe pot to make an oven-steam. A stone-baked crust is plain perfection.
Frequently Asked Questions
May I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yes, you can, but in that case you will have to soak the active dry yeast along with the sugar or honey in warm water for 5-10 minutes, or until it turns frothy, as an alternative to just mixing the yeast directly into the dry ingredients.
How can I make this bread gluten-free?
Employ a flour blend conducive to bread baking. You may have to augment the liquid to account for the fact that gluten-free flours cling to the moisture.
May I incorporate additional ingredients such as nuts or seeds?
Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and herbs may be incorporated in order to enhance flavor and texture.
How should I make the bread crusty?
To crust-up the crust while baking, position a pan of warm water on the bottom rack. The steam produced within the oven will make the crust more crisp.
Can I double the recipe?
Sure, you can; just sum up the ingredients and follow the listed procedures. If making a thicker bread, you may require more baking time.
What do I do if the dough is too sticky?
If the dough is sticky, sprinkle extra flour over your work surface, and on your hands, as you knead.
Is there a way my bread could remain light?
Do not over-knead your dough, and allow your dough to proof for about 5-10 minutes before baking. Also, ensure that your yeast is fresh.
Can I use a bread machine to make bread with this recipe?
Well, you can certainly use a bread machine to sift and knead the bread, but do shape it by hand and perform the rest in the oven where the bread will develop a nice crust.
How can I know if my bread is done?
It will be done when golden brown all around and sounds hollow when tapped from under.
What can I eat with this bread?
This bread goes well with soups, with salads served as a side to pasta dishes or hand-carved as toast or sandwiches.
Butter, olive oil, cold cuts, sausages, cheese (such as Emmental, Gouda, or Appenzell), preserves (such as cranberry-apricot) …-plenty of good stuff now that your delicious German bread is fresh and hot. Enjoy!
Rustic German Bread
Ingredients
- 350 ml water room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8 grams dry yeast
- 25 ml sunflower oil
- 500 grams flour plus extra for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, pour 350 ml of water, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 8 grams of dry yeast. Stir until dissolved, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add 25 ml of sunflower oil to the yeast mixture. Gradually sift in 500 grams of flour, stirring to combine.
- Mix until a sticky dough forms. Cover and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Stir the dough to release air, cover, and let rest for another 30 minutes to develop gluten.
- Lightly flour a surface, roll dough into a rectangle, fold, and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf, boule, or rolls.
- Place dough on a lined baking tray. Make decorative slashes with a knife. Preheat oven to 230°C (446°F) and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven, cool on a wire rack, and enjoy warm or at room temperature.
