As many of my friends know, I love to bake breads, and that in many varieties. Today I baked my Cranberry-Walnut bread with my German no-knead bread basic recipe (below) in the very hot Dutch oven.
This bread makes a festive addition to your holiday dinner, may it be Thanksgiving or Christmas
Plan a day ahead, the dough has to rise for at least 17 hrs, or overnight on the counter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap
Especially for baking, I recommend a Cast Iron Dutch oven (the Emaille light color ones will stain at high heat). You can place the loaf on the lid part before baking. It’ll be easier to handle the baked, very hot bread!
Bake the recipe below with white flour, I use Pillsbury or the King Arthur bread flour.To enhance the texture (Krume) and promote a golden crust and strong rise, I bake with Diastatic malt enzymes
Diastatic malt promotes a strong rise, great texture, and lovely brown crust.
A necessary tool is the Danish Dough whisk. Never use your hands again, just stir!
I recommend this type of Cast Iron Dutch oven (the Emaille ones will stain at high heat).
Use the Basic German bread recipe below and these add-ins:
White Flour:
- Add to flour and mixture dried Cranberries and crushed Walnuts (or Almond slivers)
- Add to flour mixture Rosemary with Olives (or Garlic out of a jar) and cover with Parmesan
- Add to flour mixture and cover with Sunflower seeds
- Cover with Roasted Pumpkin seeds
- Add aged Parmesan cubes to the flour
- Add sunflower seeds, grated carrots, flax seeds, add little wine or vinegar to the water (Fitness bread)
Whole Wheat Flour:
German Bauernbrot optional ingredients:
- Add to flour mixture 2 tbsp Wheat Bran/Germ,
- 1 cup Spelt flour with 2 cups whole wheat
- Add to flour mixture Flax Seeds
- Cover with Oatmeal
- Add to flour mixture 1 tbsp Caraway and/or crushed Anis Seed
- Water mixture: 1 cup dark beer, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp vinegar
- Cover with “Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend”
No-knead German Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (Pillsbury or King Arthur bread flour)
- 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 tsp Diastatic Malt (“Krume” enhancer on Amazon)
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp vinegar
Add-ins to add variety to the basic recipe:
Add to White Flour:
- Add to flour and mixture dried Cranberries and crushed Walnuts (or Almond slivers)
- Add to flour mixture Rosemary with Olives (or Garlic out of a jar) and cover with Parmesan
- Add to flour mixture and cover with Sunflower seeds
- Cover with Roasted Pumpkin seeds
- Add aged Parmesan cubes to the flour
- Add sunflower seeds, grated carrots, flax seeds, add little wine or vinegar to the water (Fitness bread)
German Bauernbrot (whole wheat and white flour mixture)
For the Bauernbrot you’d use a mixture of whole wheat and white flour about 1 x 1, or to your liking. Also add beer to water.Optional, add the following:
- Add to flour mixture 2 tbsp Wheat Bran/Germ,
- 1 cup Spelt flour with 2 cups whole wheat
- Add to flour mixture Flax Seeds
- Cover with Oatmeal
- Add to flour mixture 1 tbsp Caraway and/or crushed Anis Seed
- Water mixture: 1 cup dark beer, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp vinegar
Instructions
- Plan a day ahead to prepare the dough.
- Mix together the flour, yeast, diastatic malt and salt
- Add lukewarm water (not hot) and mix with hands, or use a Danish Dough Whisk
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 17 to 22 hours or overnight.
- In the Winter month, and if it is cool in the home at night, warm up your oven to the lowest setting, turn off, and place the bowl (covered loosely) with the dough inside
- Scoop out dough, lie on board with flour.
- Do not knead! Form a loaf by flatten it first, then fold.
- You can let it rest in a white (flour) cotton towel.
- Wipe the inside of the Dutch oven with vegetable oil.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees with Dutch oven inside.
- Place the dough in hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove cover, and bake an additional 12 to 15 minutes until the The aroma is in the crust, therefore I prefer it dark.
- Let cool completely on rack.
Notes
Cool on rack before cutting. Cut in slices or pieces to freeze. Take out as needed
Essentials you can order here on Amazon:
1. Diastatic Malt that promotes the crust and texture
2. No kneading, just stir: Danish Dough Whisk
3. Lodge Cast Iron Dutch oven