Description
This rustic German bread recipe blends centuries-old European baking tradition with modern simplicity. With a crisp crust, tender crumb, and minimal hands-on time, it delivers bakery-quality results perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike.
Ingredients
Scale
- 350 ml water (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8 grams dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
- 25 ml sunflower oil
- 500 grams bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
Substitutions: Replace 20–30% flour with rye flour for authentic flavor, use honey instead of sugar, substitute lard for sunflower oil, or add 1–2 tablespoons diastatic malt powder for deeper crust color.
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add sunflower oil, then gradually sift in bread flour. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Stir dough to release air, cover, and rest another 30 minutes to develop gluten.
- Lightly flour a surface, roll dough into a rectangle, fold, rest 10 minutes, then shape into loaf or boule.
- Transfer to lined baking tray, slash top, and preheat oven to 230°C (446°F). Place a shallow pan of water at the bottom for steam. Bake 30–40 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Notes
For traditional German texture, keep dough slightly sticky. Steam is essential for crust development. Allow bread to cool completely—preferably 2 hours—before slicing to prevent a gummy crumb.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: rustic German bread, authentic German bread, artisan bread, easy German bread recipe