The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Kasseler / Kassler

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Kasseler / Kassler

Hello,

A friend of mine has mentioned to me several times a bread he used to get hold of when he lived in Germany. It was called, to the best of his memory, Kasseler. He tells me it was a brown bloomer bread with a soft fluffy interior and a very crusty crust.

He originally told me about it when one of my sourdoughs with a rye starter reminded him of it a bit.

I've finally started searching for it to see what I can find.

I couldn't find much.

This one called Kassler (so almost the same spelling) https://homemadegermanbread.blogspot.com/2013/11/kassler-bread.html has a mix of sourdough starter and yeast poolish with a bit more yeast to the main mix.

This one spelling it Kasseler https://feedwise.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/kasseler-grey-bread-fifty-shades-of-german-bread/ has no sourdough at all.

Then from this very forum https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/66574/eric%E2%80%99s-rye-bread which again is a mix of sourdough and yeast loaf.

There is a link to Wikipedia in the second article. Google Translate gives me this:

Kassel bread, often called Kasseler for short, is a mild, light mixed wheat bread from Kassel, which is now also widespread in other regions, especially in the Rhineland.

It consists of about two-thirds wheat flour and one-third rye flour, sourdough and yeast and is only seasoned with salt. The final fermentation time of the dough in a woven bread basket gives the loaves an oval shape with slight, circumferential grooves, which are still faintly visible even after baking.

Kassel bread has a fine crumb and a rather light, soft crust. If stored properly, it will keep for about three to five days.

That's all I can find out about it.

The mix of sourdough and yeasted aspects and the rye and wheat seems akin to the "with sourdough" that many of the supermarkets now sell.

I've no idea how long Kassel bread has been a thing. When did it start in Kassel, I wonder?

I'm intrigued by the mix of sourdough and yeast. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me more and if anyone can tell me which of the above recipes is closest to the sort of bread that my friend would have had (I plan to bake him some as he's mentioned it quite a lot over the last few years).

Thanks.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy
Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Thanks for the "welcome back" - amazed you noticed I'd not been about!

Those two links look great as a starting point. Though they clearly say it started in Kassel I wonder when they started to bake them - and why the mix of sour and yeast started.

I feel a bake coming on... ;)

Econprof's picture
Econprof

The combination is actually pretty common. Lots of the recipes in the rye baker use it. One of the experts here would be able to say better than me, but I think the yeast leads to a quick rise at the end, preventing the “starch attack” that produces an unpleasant gummy crumb. I’m not sure when this is needed and when it isn’t.

 

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

I had assumed most of the rise would come from the yeast and the sourdough would be more flavour. I'm aware of gummy crumb (which personally I quite like) but have not heard the term "starch attack" - I've no idea what causes the gummy texture or how to control it! Looks like this is going to broaden my understanding in various aspects.

Thanks.

  Mark

Econprof's picture
Econprof

In The Rye Baker. It uses sourdough but also has a yeast kicker. I haven’t gotten around to trying it yet

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Cheers, I'll have a peek there after I've started with the links given above. Thank you.

alcophile's picture
alcophile

I compared Brotdoc's recipe with TRB and it seems that they're essentially the same. I haven't tried it yet, either. The full proofing/ripening before baking has made me a little nervous.

The use of yeast in these Kassel recipes is unexplained but often the ones that have strong sours that have exhausted the yeast use it. I doubt that is the case here, though.

Let us know how it turns out. Good luck and happy baking!

 

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

I shall report back!

alcophile's picture
alcophile

I should have been more specific—the TRB recipe is most similar to the 60/40 rye/wheat recipe on Brotdoc's site.

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Okeydoke.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

Don't give me too much credit. I usually check the "Track" tab on the User page before commenting when I don't recognize the username. That way I can easily see if it's  "Welcome to TFL" or "Welcome back."

Here's my collection of rye/European/Russian bread blogs/channels:

In addition. user Mini-Oven here on TFL is a rye expert.

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Ahah. I see. Well I only pop in here now and again. I'm mostly happy with what I bake and so often just browse for information. I'm only asking as this is well outside my knowledge and I didn't see too much on the forums already.

Thanks for that great collection of links. I'm going to be busy...!

I've updated my profile so you can see who I am now that I've read what you do. :D

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

But it looks good. Two loaf recipe in English:

https://www.hefe-und-mehr.de/en/2018/12/kassler-bread/

Here in Austria a Kassler is smoked pork loin which might explain why one can pull up so many loin hams baked inside bread dough when googling kassler bread.  Good as pork chops by the way,  frying/ heating makes a mighty fine red eye gravy.

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Thanks, that's another great find. :)

Malthouse Mark's picture
Malthouse Mark

Well it took me a wee while to get around to trying but today I did try. And for a first attempt I am very happy. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkQz7t0D944/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=