Buttermilk Spelt Bread from Plotzblog
Great recipe, I'm still working on becoming a better baker! I found this recipe on Plotzblog.de (I love Google translate!). The first I made this recipe, I understood afterwards how the buttermilk softens (my way of characterizing) the whole grain bread. I did however want "more lift" or more volume so I tried the second time and added 20% bread flour in place of the spelt.
I used a hard lid covered loaf pan, this was a mistake! The bread rose, hit the roof of the pan and didn't rise to its full potential.
The trickiest part was figuring out when the bread is done, here's the second mistake! I should've waited 24 hours to cut the loaf. After 8 hours the bread was still spongy, after 24 hours the texture improved.
Here's the link to the recipe -
http://www.ploetzblog.de/2013/05/29/leserwunsch-dinkelvollkornbrot-mit-buttermilch/
Comments
A very successful attempt and I too love to bake with buttermilk. It also adds a very complex flavor to the bread. Too bad buttermilk is so hard to get over here. And yes, the Blog from Lutz is very good, resourceful and has many interesting recipes indeed. I baked a many breads from this blog and from the Ketex blog when I was just getting started baking my own breads.
An enriched bread like Lutz Geissler's Dinkelvollkornbrot (great recipe, I have to try it, too) needs to register at least 195 F on an instant read thermometer, inserted in the middle of the loaf.
If you don't own one - this is a tool you should really get. Just going by the looks of a baked bread can be very deceiving, and you can't thump a bread in a loaf pan on the bottom to see whether it sounds hollow or not (a rather unrealiable measure, either).
I'm picking up my ordered copy of Lutz Geissler's new bread baking book, when I travel to Hamburg this month. It got really good reviews.
Karin
The phrase 3rd time is a charm wasn't a mistake! I used foil (formed a loose dome) for the loaf top and the bread rose to its full potential, cooked at 375F, the first 30 minutes with steam and at the last 30 minutes took off the foil and baked. I also let the bread rest.
One thing I've learned as well is to use really good quality fragrant buttermilk. This bread to me is the smell of buttermilk.
Karin - thanks bought the thermometer!
Foodzeit - yes, I'm familiar with Ketex and I'm baking the Steinhorster Shrotbrot this weekend. I'm beginning to understand how nice it is to cook with buttermilk!
Sid