Wheat-Rye Bread with Kefir

About a year ago we started using kefir as a part of our daily nutrition. Kefir has multiple benefits for your body and can be used as a plain drink, a smoothie, and can also be mixed into pancakes, breads and other baked goods since it contains some beneficial yeasts. Fresh (24 hour kefir) is very mild and yogurt-like tasting. After 48 hours it becomes somewhat sour and after 72 hours quite sour. It is still good to use, it just depends on what you prefer. Today I was experimenting a little with the 72-hour kefir just to see what kind of flavor my bread will have. In the back of my mind I had this idea that it may taste like sourdough bread…

 WHEAT-RYE BREAD WITH KEFIR            Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (500 g) bread flour (wheat)
• 1 cup (100 g) rye flour
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup (175 ml) kefir (room temperature)
• 1 ¼ (300 ml) warm water

• Flour for kneading
• ½ cup (125 ml) water for baking

Preparation:

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer combine wheat and rye flour, add yeast and keep mixing for a minute or two.
2. Now add kefir, warm water and salt and keep mixing for about 5 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes and again mix for another 5.
3. Put the dough on a flour dusted surface and knead for a few minutes. Form into a ball, place it back into bowl, cover it and let it rise for about 1 – 1 ½ hour.
4. When the dough looks double its size, place it back on the working surface, knead it thoroughly and form it into a desired shape. Dust it with flour, cover it and let it rise for about 30 minutes.
5. While the dough is resting, heat the oven to450 F. Placea baking dish (oven safe) into the oven for 10 minutes to heat it.
6. With a sharp knife cut a lengthwise ½ inch slit in the bread. Pick it up from the working surface and place it in the hot baking dish. Place a ½ cup of water on the bottom of the oven. This will provide necessary moisture and the bread will get a nice thick, crunchy crust.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 430 F and bake for about 40 minutes.
8. Cool down completely and enjoy!

*** This bread made with sour kefir tastes so much like a real sourdough bread!