A few weeks ago, I posted on social mediathat I was trying a new soaked bread recipe. Quite a few of you commented or emailed asking for the recipe, but I wanted to get it just right first before sharing. Making traditionally prepared bread (as opposed to modern, difficult to digest yeasted breads) can be a bit tricky to master. No one wants to waste quality ingredients not to mention precious time on failed attempts!
To make a long story short, it took me a little trial and errorto get the recipe to work, but the results are awesome. You can even slice the loaf for sandwiches! I thought I’d share for those of you who enjoy usingsoaked flour to bake traditionally prepared bread for your family.
Please note that I have only used einkorn flour to make this loaf so if you want to try making it with another type of flour, it may take you a couple of tries to get it exactly right. My friend Cathi who shared this recipe with me uses spelt flour. Based on our joint experience, it should work the very first try with either einkorn or spelt. Other flours may take a bit of trial and error on your part.
What is Einkorn?
Never heard of einkorn? It is thepurest and most ancient form of wheat available. It is completely nonhybridized (my kids affectionately refer to it as “Jesus wheat”) as it only has 2 sets of chromosomes unlike all other types of wheat which are hybridized and have between 4 (emmer, kamut, durum) and 6 (spelt, modern wheat) chromosomal sets. Moreoever, einkorn contains good gluten. It is different structurally from modern gluten and quite easy to digest even for many who have sensitivity to modern gluten. The truth is that not all wheat gluten is created equal!
The only downside to einkorn is that it is a low yield crop and hence rather pricey compared with hybridized wheat. However, if you don’t eat a ton of bread in your home anyway and really want to opt for the most digestible wheat flour available when you do bake, einkorn simply can’t be beat.
One other point of note: you must used raw kefir for this soaked bread recipe. The dough does not rise well if you soak using raw yogurt, clabbered raw milk or buttermilk. It also does not work well with plain store bought kefir.
The reason? I don’t actually know for sure, but my guess is that raw kefir has many more strains of beneficial microbes compared with other fermented dairy products – up to as many as 30. In addition, raw kefir would have all the original enzymes from the raw milk intact. Pasteurized kefir would not have the same level of enzymatic activity as raw kefir. In addition, clabbered raw milk, buttermilk and raw yogurt would have far fewer probiotic strains than raw kefir.
How to Make Soaked Bread
Onward to the soaked bread recipe! I do hope you enjoy it – please let me know the various ways you end up trying it, with gluten free flours and whatnot!
Easy soaked bread recipe that can be sliced and used for sandwiches as well.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2 loaves
Author Sarah Pope
Ingredients
- 6cupsflourfreshly ground and organic, einkorn or spelt recommended
- 3cupsraw kefirplain, preferably grassfed
- 2Tblbutterpreferably grassfed and organic
- 1.5Tblsucanat
- 1.5tspbaking soda
Instructions
Mix 3 cups of flour and 3 cups of kefir well, cover with a clean cloth and let sit on the kitchen counter for 12-24 hours. After soaking, the dough should be liquid-y and very bubbly.
Add baking soda, sweetener, coconut oil or butter and 3 more cups of flour. Stick to 6 cups of flour and don't add more even if tempted to do so based on consistency of the dough.
Mix well for 3-4 minutes. The resulting dough should be soft and easily workable with your hands.
Divide loaf into 2 ... put in 2 buttered loaf pans (these are what I use) or make 1 huge loaf with a single large loaf pan.
Let the pan(s) sit lightly covered with a clean cloth for another 12 hours on the kitchen counter. The dough will rise nicely in the pan(s) so allow for enough room at the top or it will spill over the sides.
Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 30 minutes for 2 smaller loaves and 350 F (177 C) for 55 minutes for 1 large loaf of soaked bread. Check that a knife inserted in the center comes out clean to ensure that the loaves are done.
Once cooled, slice into sandwich slices. Enjoy immediately and refrigerate what will not be used up within 24 hours.
Recipe Notes
Coconut sugar may be substituted for the sucanat. Do not use honey as cooking honey is not healthy.
Coconut oil may be substituted for the butter.
Do not use yogurt, clabbered milk or water plus lemon juice to soak the flour as the bread will not rise properly. Only raw kefir works based on my experience making this recipe.
Once you’ve made your loaf, be sure to save the crusts! You can make homemade breadcrumbs with them!
FAQs
Kefir has a natural tart and tangy flavor from the presence of lactic acid. This provides similar results in recipes as would buttermilk, but with more protein. It Has Different Amounts of Fat. Using whole milk kefir in baked goods adds richness to the final product, without the addition of oil or shortening.
Can I use kefir as a sourdough starter? ›
USE MILK KEFIR DIRECTLY AS THE “SOURDOUGH STARTER”
Use the amount of flour indicated in the recipe plus the amount of starter given. If a recipe calls for 2 cups of starter, 3 cups of flour, and 1 cup of water, use 5 cups of flour and 1 cup of milk kefir.
Is kefir bread good for you? ›
Kefir Bread
Kefir milk offers several potential health benefits, largely due to its rich probiotic content and other nutrients. Homemade kefir bread allows you to control the ingredients and make healthier choices.
Why can't you mix honey with kefir? ›
Honey is best avoided as it is a natural antibacterial substance and therefore will kill the good bacteria in the kefir. Sugar, stevia, jam etc can all be added.
What not to do with kefir? ›
As we mentioned before, avoid mixing them with turmeric and honey as both are strong antibacterials. And also avoid processing kefir by heating or mixing it with hot food items. Whether you drink it raw or mixed, you will still get the benefits. Just make sure you drink it every day.
What happens to your body when you drink kefir everyday? ›
Kefir helps lower your blood pressure, manage your cholesterol levels, and improve your triglycerides (fats in the blood). It may even help prevent future cardiac events. Kefir is a good source of calcium, which you need for good bone health.
Can I bake with kefir? ›
Why would you use kefir for baking? Kefir's good bacterias when slightly warmed up and mixed with the cake batter create extra airy and soft texture (lighter than buttermilk). In this way, you are combining positive health effects of kefir with its work on airy cake texture.
Can I bake with kefir instead of milk? ›
Use a 1-to-1 ratio when substituting for buttermilk, sour cream, milk and yogurt when cooking or baking – from cookies, crumbles, breads, biscuits – even your favorite pancake or waffle mix!
What does kefir bread taste like? ›
Slowly raised overnight by milk kefir, it is sweet, soft and aromatic, with a note of sourness. An ideal alternative to sourdough!
Does kefir flatten your stomach? ›
Several studies now also suggest that kefir can help reduce visceral fat levels in the body. Probiotics can alter the make-up of your gut microbiome. Some of them even play a role in weight regulation. Bacteria from the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus family are found to help lose belly fat.
Adding kefir to your diet can be an easy and delicious way to increase your intake of probiotics. However, drinking too much can have several side effects, including digestive issues. It also contains carbs and a small amount of alcohol, so it may not be suitable for everyone.
Why is kefir so high in carbs? ›
Carbs. Although kefir is an animal product, which some people associate with low levels of carbohydrates, it's not carb-free. This is due to naturally occurring sugars in its milk base.
Why should you not shake kefir? ›
It is not necessary to shake homemade kefir before straining it, but it may help to evenly distribute the kefir grains throughout the liquid. Straining the kefir separates the grains from the liquid, which can then be consumed as a probiotic-rich drink. The grains can be used to make a new batch of kefir.
Can you ruin kefir grains? ›
The biggest danger with leaving the kefir grains in the same milk for more than 48 hours is that they may begin to starve, which can damage the kefir grains. Separate the grains and put them into fresh milk right away. As long as the finished, separated, kefir smells and tastes okay, it can be consumed.
Does sugar ruin kefir? ›
Coconut palm sugar, maple sugar, or syrup are too rich and can damage the water kefir grains. Honey has bacteria that compete with the grains, and some brands may be contaminated by high fructose corn syrup! Avoid all artificial sweeteners as they offer nothing for the grains to feed on.
Is kefir or buttermilk better for baking? ›
No tinkering needed for this easy buttermilk substitute. You can use an equal amount of kefir for buttermilk in any recipe—just make sure it's unsweetened, unflavored kefir. (Use any leftover kefir to make a lovely beet soup, a dressing for fruit salad, or to flavor mashed potatoes.)
Does kefir make a difference? ›
Kefir contains millions of probiotics, which are bacteria with potential health benefits. It's also low in lactose and packed with vitamins and minerals that are good for your body. Scientists have found a range of possible health benefits of kefir, including improved cholesterol, blood sugar control, and gut health.
Can I use yogurt instead of kefir in baking? ›
Replace it with yogurt thinned with milk. If you need 1 cup of kefir, use 3/4 cup of plain yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk.
A few weeks ago, I posted on social mediathat I was trying a new soaked bread recipe. Quite a few of you commented or emailed asking for the recipe, but I wanted to get it just right first before sharing. Making traditionally prepared bread (as opposed to modern, difficult to digest yeasted breads) can be a bit tricky to master. No one wants to waste quality ingredients not to mention precious time on failed attempts! 
