Perfect for fall, this easy Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread has added nutrition from protein and pumpkin puree and is studded with raisins. Slightly sweet with molasses, adding a deep caramel-liquorice flavour, the stunning colour will light up your mornings or teatime. You can bake one large loaf or 8 cute small ones, making this a very pretty treat for guests and super quick to prepare.
Why You Want To Make This
Have you ever had soda bread and weren’t impressed by its crumbly dry texture and sometime strange aftertaste from the soda? This is your chance to fall in love with it. Just as I did.
It was so good, I made it twice in a week. Hence one large loaf and 8 small in the pictures.
Sourdough
Adding sourdough to soda bread sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? After all there is soda! But trust me here: It adds a gentle tang to your soda bread and makes it slightly less crumbly, softer, and moister. Not to mention the health benefits it adds. You don’t need a long rise here, as we are just using discard. But if you want, you can prepare it in the evening, leave it in the fridge overnight. Then bake it in the morning, which will improve both flavour and structure.
Don’t add the soda until just before baking, since it will lose its dough raising properties if left for too long.
Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin Puree is hard to find in Ireland I admit. I got mine at an online American Food shop and it was so worth it!
It lends a gentle sweetness to the Sourdough Soda Bread and adds moisture, so you have a slightly more pillowy structure than usual in this type of bread. Not to mention the stunning orange colour, that just makes you want to light your pumpkin spice candles and have this with a nice cup of tea. Or coffee.
Protein Powder
A rather unusual ingredient in soda bread, but I try to add protein wherever I can, as I found I’m eating way too little if I don’t watch my intake.
It replaces part of the white flour, which is always a plus and adds protein instead.
I’m using MyProtein Cinnamon Danish here (Neither sponsored nor affiliated), as the cinnamon goes so well with the pumpkin.
A Note on Protein Powder:
I have tried several in the last year, starting with vegan and was nearly put off protein powders forever, it tasted so horrible. The weird chalky texture ruined everything it came into contact with, so I had to throw it out.
Being lactose intolerant when it comes to any unfermented milk products, I was a bit sceptical, if I could use whey protein, but it turned out it not only tastes much better, but my body had no complaints whatsoever.
Yet, the first few I tried were only marginally better than the vegan stuff, still having a strange aftertaste, the sweetener clearly noticeable and a floury texture.
I was about to give up and only try and sneak them into smoothies, which seemed the only palatable option at that point (and I’m not a fan of smoothies unfortunately, with it being always cold in Ireland). Enter MyProtein. Ordering from them was a last ditch effort, to find a protein powder I could actually drink as shake and boy was I in for a surprise!
I had gotten their Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn special edition and the first sniff was already promising. Once I tried that super creamy, buttery, sweet tasting shake, reminding me of really good vanilla custard, I was hooked. And lots of recipes to make with this popped into my mind.
This protein powder is not something you try to hide in whatever you are making, but rather an ingredient that elevates your food. Use it in the right ratio (in baked goods you can replace for example ¼ of the flour with it, while saving on sugar too) and you have a real treat.
To prevent any lumps, make sure to pre-mix with wet ingredients and it’s an amazing addition to many sweet recipes.
Substitution for protein powder
You could replace it 1:1 with flour if you don’t want or have it, but it also adds sweetness to the dough, so you might want to compensate by adding a bit of sugar.
Flour
Soda Bread can be made with any flour. I’m using 2 cups plain white and 1.5 cups fine whole wheat flour here, to add some nutty flavour and fibre, but still get a nice, soft dough that lets the bright orange from the pumpkin shine through.
You could use bread flour, but soda bread doesn’t really need the gluten, as it’s supposed to have a slightly more cake-like structure. Though I found it can benefit from being left in the fridge overnight, to gain a bit of structure and depth of flavour.
Buttermilk
This is essential for the soda to react, as it needs some type of acid to develop its raising properties. It also adds a delicious tang to the dough, which can be a bit bland if made without buttermilk.
Baking powder and soda
A mix of baking powder and soda means you don’t run the risk of having a strange….how do I say it politely…ah, yes, I don’t: Fishy taste. Apologies to the Irish people who are proud of their soda bread. But that’s really what keeps putting me off it the most. The weird flavour and smell you get from just soda to help raise your bread. And then I’m supposed to put jam on it? *shivers*
Using a mix here neutralises that risk and gives you a really lovely raise and structure.
Butter
The butter added here isn’t traditional either, but again adds moisture and a gentle chewiness that traditional soda breads are lacking.
Molasses
My first soda bread with molasses and raisins many years ago was a revelation. Suddenly there was so much flavour in what I often perceived as basically non-sweetened cake!
Molasses, with its complex flavour profile and deep, almost liquorice sweetness, balanced the gentle pumpkin sweetness and plays exceptionally well with our next ingredient
Raisins
I know, this one is controversial, and keep hearing people hate raisins nearly as much as Marmite. I love both. You can leave them out of course, but the little juicy bites really add excitement to this fall soda bread and go so well with the pumpkin and molasses. Give them a chance!
Pumpkin Spice
Looking at my ingredients picture, I clearly forgot to add this in the photo, but I assure you, it’s in the bread. I’m just slightly scatter-brained. I’m clearly getting old.
Again, being in Ireland makes getting pumpkin spice a challenge. But thankfully you can very easily mix it yourself. It’s a base of 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8th tsp clove, ¼ tsp allspice and ¼ tsp nutmeg.
I made a larger amount recently, to keep in my spice cupboard, as I got a bit obsessed with pumpkin recipes.
The Process
Sourdough Soda Bread is as easy as it gets really. 15min and your bread can be in the oven. Which makes this the ideal one for short notice guests or “I really want bread but don’t want to go to the shops”. Better tasting too I have to add.
Let’s get to it, shall we?
Mix the protein powder with the wet ingredients
Since I have my Nutribullet, I got into the habit of mixing my wet ingredients and protein powder in it, as it’s just so easy. But you can use a blender, a hand mixer or simply a whisk and elbow grease and it will be fine.
If using a Nutribullet or similar blender, you can also add the butter here, as it will save you working it into the flour later.
Add your pumpkin puree, buttermilk, sourdough discard and protein powder to your blender or bowl and thoroughly mix, until you have a creamy and delicious looking orange cream without any lumps.
Mix the wet into the dry
If you are preparing this in the evening, leave out the baking soda and powder, to add it right before baking, as it will lose its effectiveness overnight.
For baking straight away, pre-heat your oven now to 175°C (350°F).
Line a baking try with parchment or grease your mini bread tins with melted butter. Flour them lightly, so you’ll have an easy time getting out the mini loafs later.
If you plan to bake the Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread straight away, mix baking soda and powder with the flour. Add the spices, salt, soft butter, the creamy protein-pumpkin mix, and raisins, giving it a stir with a wooden spoon, to incorporate it all.
Now, with wet hands, as the dough will be very sticky, give it a quick knead, to make sure no flour lumps remain.
Prepare the dough depending on your baking method:
Shape your dough into one large loaf. It’ll look a bit rough, which is what we are going for, as those dough spikes that are standing up now make the most deliciously crunchy crust later.
With a sharp knife, cut about 1in deep across the loaf in a cross pattern, so you get 6-8 triangle shaped sections. This will help the bread rise and make it easier to divide it later, as soda bread can be a bit crumbly to cut.
For mini loafs, divide the dough equally into 8 mini loafs in your tin. With a sharp knife, cut a slit down the length of the loafs, to help them rise and have them look like bread.
Now you can sprinkle it with a bit of brown cinnamon sugar if you like. I found the caramelised sugar really improves the flavour and crunch, so I recommend it. Just mix 1 tbsp demerara sugar with ½ tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over the bread.
Baking
For a large loaf, bake 45-50 minutes, rotating once at around 20min, if your oven bakes unevenly.
You can test for doneness by either checking of your loaf is at 100°C (200°F) in the centre with a thermometer or tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow and is nicely golden brown, your Sourdough Soda Bread with Pumpkin and Protein is done.
For mini loafs, bake around 20-23 minutes, rotating at about 10min, if your oven bakes unevenly. Check the doneness as above. Alternatively insert a wooden skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean without sticky crumbs, your Mini Sourdough Soda Breads are done.
Let the bread cool a bit, otherwise it might be sticking to your knife.
Enjoy with cold butter and/or jam. I particularly loved it with apricot jam.
Meal Prep
Preparing this the evening before (adding soda and baking powder right before baking) makes this an excellent choice for meal prep.
After baking, due to the relatively high moisture content, this lasts about 3 days in your bread tin and about 5 days in the fridge.
Freeze and Reheat
When baked, you can freeze half the loaf or the mini loafs. I find the mini loafs particularly perfect, as you can grab as many as you need from your freezer and just quickly heat them in air fryer or oven for a few minutes and you’ll have fresh Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread with Protein any time you want.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread with Protein
Perfect for fall, this easy Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread with Protein has added nutrition from protein and pumpkin spice and is studded with raisins. Slightly sweet with molasses, adding a deep caramel-liquorice flavour, the stunning colour will light up your mornings or teatime. You can bake one large loaf or 8 cute small ones, making this a very pretty treat for guests and super quick to prepare.
Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Irish
Servings 8
Calories 400kcal
Ingredients
1cupsourdough discard
¾cuppumpkin puree
¾cupbuttermilk
½cupprotein powder. Vanilla or cinnamon flavour are ideal
1tbspmolasses
3tbspsoftnot melted butter
2cupsplain white flour
1 ½cupsfine whole wheat flour
1 ½tspbaking powder
½tspbaking soda
2tsppumpkin spiceor a mix of 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8th tsp clove, ¼ tsp allspice and ¼ tsp nutmeg
1cupraisins
Optional for sprinkling:
1tbspdemerara sugar
½tspcinnamon
Instructions
Prepare Wet Ingredients:
If you have a Nutribullet or similar blender, use it for this step. Otherwise, you can use a blender, hand mixer, or a whisk.
Combine pumpkin puree, buttermilk, sourdough discard, protein powder, and molasses in a blender or mixing bowl. Blend or mix thoroughly until you achieve a creamy and lump-free orange mixture. If using a blender, you can add the soft butter at this stage to incorporate it into the mixture.
Mix Wet into Dry Ingredients:
If you plan to bake immediately, proceed to preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).
In a separate bowl, combine the white flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt. Add the soft butter, the creamy protein-pumpkin mixture, and raisins to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate everything. The dough will be sticky. Using wet hands, quickly knead the dough to ensure there are no remaining flour lumps.
Prepare the Dough:
Depending on your preferred baking method, shape the dough accordingly.
For a large loaf:
Shape the dough into one large, rough loaf. The textured surface will create a deliciously crunchy crust. Use a sharp knife to make a 1-inch deep cross pattern on the top, dividing the loaf into 6-8 triangle-shaped sections. This helps the bread rise and facilitates easier dividing later.
For mini loafs:
Divide the dough equally into 8 portions and place them in your mini bread tins. Use a sharp knife to cut a slit down the length of each mini loaf to assist in rising and for a decorative touch.
Optional Topping:
Sprinkle a mixture of 1 tbsp demerara sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon over the dough. This caramelized sugar adds flavor and crunch to the bread.
Baking:
For a large loaf:
Bake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the loaf once around the 20-minute mark if your oven heats unevenly. Check for doneness by either inserting a thermometer into the center (it should read 100°C or 200°F) or tapping the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow and is golden brown, it's done.
For mini loafs:
Bake for around 20-23 minutes, rotating the tins at about 10 minutes if necessary. Check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center of a mini loaf. If it comes out clean without sticky crumbs, the mini sourdough soda breads are done.
Serving:
Allow the bread to cool for a while before slicing and serving. Enjoy your homemade SSourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread with Protein!
It’s amazing with cold butter and jam, or just on its own with a cup of tea or coffee. Or pumpkin spice latte/Chai, if you want to go all out.
Notes
Meal PrepPreparing this the evening before (adding soda and baking powder right before baking) makes this an excellent choice for meal prep.After baking, due to the relatively high moisture content, this lasts about 3 days in your bread tin and about 5 days in the fridge.When baked, you can freeze half the loaf or the mini loafs. I find the mini loafs particularly perfect, as you can grab as many as you need from your freezer and just quickly heat them in air fryer or oven for a few minutes and you’ll have fresh Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread with Protein any time you want.Calories: Approximately 375-440 calories per serving Protein: Approximately 12-14 grams per serving Fat: Approximately 5-7 grams per serving Carbohydrates: Approximately 75-85 grams per serving Fiber: Approximately 6-8 grams per serving Sugars: Approximately 20-25 grams per serving
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal
Nutrition Facts
Sourdough Pumpkin Soda Bread with Protein
Amount per Serving
Calories
400
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Sourdough Focaccia with Black Tahini is my bread of the week. Incredibly aromatic due to the black tahini, lending a subtle sesame flavour and the olive oil, giving a lovely crunchy crust and soft crumb.
The Sourdough adds rise and a nice tang, while the wholewheat contributes its characteristic nuttiness. The toppings are your choice. I love it classic with Rosemary and garlic, adding sumac for a pleasant acidity and black sesame, hinting to the black Tahini inside.
Why You Want To Make This
Personally, I find most purely white breads a bit disappointing in flavour these days, but going fully wholewheat often leads to very dense, often dry results. So, I’m aiming for a good compromise here, that gives both flavour of wholewheat and soft structure of white.
The sourdough adds digestibility, nutrients, and gut friendly bacteria, making this Sourdough Focaccia with Black Tahini a really healthy treat. If you can’t find black Tahini, use white. The black one is a bit more intense in flavour and has more nutrients, as it still has the hull.
Now, I know this looks like a lot of olive oil, but apart from being a pretty healthy oil, it’s distributed through a whole sheet pan of bread. And it gives this bread the stunningly crisp crust we love. Plus of course a lot of flavour, so use a good quality extra virgin one here.
And while many people seem to think sourdough is a lot of work, I found the opposite is true for me. Sure, I feed the starter the evening before I want to start the bread. But it all gives me time to plan and have my bread exactly the day and time I want it, as I can let it stand a lot longer than purely yeast if I want to and it’ll just gain flavour.
Plus, sourdough is incredibly forgiving on the handling part. Trust me, no rituals, sacrifices, or demon summons needed, as the belief around it seems to suggest.
The Process
I based part of my recipe on Claire Saffitz fantastic Crispy Focaccia version, which explains incredibly well how the dough should look and how she bakes it, to get the best results. But I adapted mine with sourdough, wholewheat and black Tahini, while also adding two of my favourite “secret” ingredients, to give a better rise.
To speed things up a little and get a really fluffy dough, I did add some yeast, though the hard work is really done by the sourdough here, with a bit of kneading at the start and some stretch and fold in between.
In short: You mix all the wet ingredients, then all the dry, then, easiest in a stand mixer, knead for about 5 minutes, let it stand for 30minutes for the autolyse. Knead for 10 minutes more, to develop the gluten. Move into an oiled bowl and stretch and fold twice every 30 minutes.
If you read some of my other bread recipes (Like my German Sourdough Rye Beer Bread), you might notice a recurring theme here, as I use again my beloved Malt extract (you can substitute with honey but won’t get the malty hints) and Vitamin C powder (again, optional), as it will help with the rise. Since I use wholewheat, which generally would make a bread denser, I tend to add it to help with the structure and lightness. It also adds more crunch to the crust, basically the whole point of this bread.
The one important equipment part here is a standard half-sheet pan (18×13 inches), as it fits the dough exactly and you want it just that thickness and filling said pan.
Be generous with the olive oil when covering the pan, so the dough won’t stick and develops the crispy crust underneath.
This sheet comes into play after the second stretch and fold, when you pour more olive oil into it (make sure it’s well covered), then gently stretch the dough into it. It won’t get into all the corners yet. Cover with oiled clingfilm for another 30 minutes or so, then stretch into the corners. Cover again, put into the fridge overnight, so the fantastic sourdough can do its work and develop all the flavour. 2h before baking, take it out and let it come to room temperature.
Add the classic dimples by pushing your fingers (oiled) into the dough. Then sprinkle with whatever topping you desire. Cherry tomatoes are fantastic too! Or Grapes!
For best results, bake 20-25min on the lower rack, turn after about 10 minutes, then for the last 5 minutes on the highest rack of your oven. Possible turn after 2, but take a peek first, to see if the browning is even.
And here you have it: Your perfectly deep golden brown Sourdough Focaccia with Black Tahini and Wholewheat.
Meal Prep
You can plan this bread very easily by feeding your sourdough 2 days before you want to eat it, preparing the dough during the second day, then leaving it in the fridge until about 2h before you want to make it, to let it come to room temperature and give it a final rise before baking it.
The bakes bread will freeze well and also keep in an airtight container for a few days. I love to sprinkle it with a bit of water and then re-heat in the oven or, even better, the air fryer for a few minutes, to crisp up again. Due to the toppings, I wouldn’t necessarily put it in the toaster, as I’d rather not risk burning herbs.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot. 🙂
Sourdough Focaccia with Black Tahini and Wholewheat
Sourdough Focaccia with Black Tahini is my bread of the week. Incredibly aromatic due to the black tahini, lending a subtle sesame flavour and the olive oil, giving a lovely crunchy crust and soft crumb.
The Sourdough adds rise and a nice tang, while the wholewheat contributes its characteristic nuttiness. The toppings are your choice. I love it classic with Rosemary and garlic, adding sumac for a pleasant acidity and black sesame, hinting to the black Tahini inside.
1/2cupolive oilplus extra for the pan and the top of the focaccia
3tbspblack tahini
2tbspKosher salt
2tspmalt extractoptional
1tablespooninstant yeast
1tspvitamin C powderoptional
For sprinkling: flaky saltrosemary, sumac, garlic, black sesame
Instructions
Instructions:
Combine the active sourdough starter, lukewarm water, malt extract (or honey), Vitamin C (if using) olive oil, black tahini, and instant yeast. Mix well until everything is well combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the white bread flour, wholewheat bread flour, Kosher salt, and malt extract (if using). Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough in the stand mixer for about 5 minutes until it becomes smoother. Slowly add the olive oil, to allow the dough to absorb it, until you have a very soft dough that will fall off the hook when you lift it out of the bowl. It will be very soft and relatively sticky.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes for an autolyse phase to begin.
Knead the dough for an additional 10 minutes in the stand mixer to develop gluten. The dough should become more elastic and less sticky.
Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl. Perform two stretch and fold sessions, with oiled hands, spaced 30 minutes apart. To do this, gently stretch one side of the dough and fold it over the center, then repeat with the other three sides.
Use a standard half-sheet pan (18x13 inches) and generously coat it with olive oil to prevent sticking and to develop a crispy crust underneath.
After the second stretch and fold session, transfer the dough into the pan and gently it towards the corners. It won't fill all the corners yet. Cover the pan with oiled clingfilm and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
After the resting period, gently stretch the dough into the corners of the pan. Cover it again with oiled clingfilm.
Place the pan in the refrigerator and let the dough rest overnight. This allows the sourdough to develop its unique flavour and the dough to rise to the top of the sheet pan.
About 2 hours before baking, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let the dough come to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Once the dough is at room temperature, use oiled fingers to create classic dimples in the dough. These dimples will hold your chosen toppings.
Sprinkle your preferred toppings, such as flaky salt, rosemary, sumac, garlic, and black sesame, evenly over the dough. Cherry tomatoes or grapes can also be added for extra flavour.
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes on the lower rack, then 5 minutes more on the top rack, or until the focaccia is golden brown and crispy on the edges.
Allow the focaccia to cool slightly before slicing and serving
Notes
Meal PrepYou can plan this bread very easily by feeding your sourdough 2 days before you want to eat it, preparing the dough during the second day, then leaving it in the fridge until about 2h before you want to make it, to let it come to room temperature and give it a final rise before baking it. The bakes bread will freeze well and also keep in an airtight container for a few days. I love to sprinkle it with a bit of water and then re-heat in the oven or, even better, the air fryer for a few minutes, to crisp up again.Nutrition assuming 12 large pieces:
Calories: Approximately 250-280
Fat: Approximately 10-12 grams
Protein: Approximately 6-8 grams
Carbohydrates: Approximately 35-40 grams
Sugar: Approximately 0-1 gram
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal
Nutrition Facts
Sourdough Focaccia with Black Tahini and Wholewheat
Amount per Serving
Calories
265
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This hearty German Sourdough Black Bread is very similar to Pumpernickel, in that is has whole grains and is made with dark rye flour, baked very slowly. The added sourdough gives it more flavour and easy digestibility, while softening the grains in the slow fermentation. This is a dense and flavourful bread, amazing with both savoury and sweet toppings. And really good for you.
The Inspiration
Missing yet more of the thousands of German breads from home, this German Sourdough Black Bread (Or “Vollkornbrot” as we call it) was high on my list of them. A proper wholegrain bread. Dark with Rye, full of grains and sunflower seeds. The ideal bread for one of my favourite German sweet spreads “Grafschafter Goldsaft”. A sugar beet sirup, which is sweet, but not too sweet, with molasses undertones, yet very different and addictive.
Fun Fact
Did you know that we categorize our breads by colour in Germany? We literally call them white, grey, and black bread. With white being what other countries just call “bread” basically, Grey being a mix of white and rye, sometimes wholegrain flour, in various degrees. A typical example would be my German Sourdough Rye Beer Bread. And black being anything really dark, usually with whole grain berries like this German Sourdough Black Bread. Most of these are made with yeast, even the whole grain ones, but by adding sourdough, you will increase the health benefits by adding nutrition, easier digestability, beneficial gut bacteria and more.
Let me know if you’d like to see a recipe for any specific German bread and I’ll see what I can do.
The Ingredients
Don’t get scared by the long-ish list. Most of it is pantry stuff you probably already have at home, especially if you like to bake.
The essentials are: Dark (or wholegrain) rye flour and whole grain berries, which will soften due to the long fermentation.
I’ve used 2 different grain berries here, Emmer and Spelt, as I found them at Riot Rye (Absolutely love the company name!), but one will do just fine.
I mixed the wholegrain flours here. You could use just rye, but I felt the bread needs a tiny bit of rise at least, as it’s pretty heavy due to the whole grains, so I used Einkorn and Emmer, to keep the rustic feel. But Wholegrain Bread flour will be just fine.
Sourdough starter of course. Fed is good, but if you only have discard, it’ll come back to life as well during the fermentation.
Buttermilk for added flavour and tang. Use either water or a mix of 2.25 cups of milk with 2 tbsp white vinegar added and let it stand for a while.
I used sunflower and flax seed here as add-ins. The flax provides extra hold for this bread, which helps with cutting later. Also, lots of healthy fibre for you. The Sunflower seeds can be swapped for any seeds you enjoy. Pumpkin and sesame are popular replacements.
The malt extract and powder are my own additions and give flavour, crust and a bit more rise to the bread. If you don’t have them, you can leave them out. I tend to buy one per year of them and they last ages, as I only use a tsp or so per bread. But they are really worth it for me, as I love the maltiness they add to everything. I also add molasses, instead of the more common sugar, as I love the depth it adds to this dark bread.
For sprinkling again, you can get creative. I had Rye flakes at home, so I used those, but have Oats in the recipe, as I assume most people have them in their pantry.
The Process
Despite the long and strange looking list of ingredients (if you are not used to German Sourdough Black Bread that is), this requires very little hands-on time. Only a lot of resting time, to soften the grains.
Basically you mix first all the wet ingredients. Then add them to the dry ingredients, have ideally your stand mixer knead it for a while, to form a very soft and sticky dough. Unless you enjoy the sticky dough on your hands, in which case: Go wild.
Mind you, this will be nothing like your typical sourdough, that comes away from the sides of the bowl after kneading. It is and remains a sticky mass.
I leave this for about 24h. Though you could, theoretically, bake it after about 8. But if you are in a hurry, I’d say soak the whole grains over night before you start the bread, so they have plenty of time to soften. This isn’t a bread for the impatient (I do sometimes wonder why I am patient with bread, but pretty much nothing else), but rather something to plan and then have for the week, as it keeps incredibly well.
When the fermentation time is up, you will see it has risen a fair bit, but it won’t retain many bubbles when baking. Grease a bread tin and maybe line with baking parchment, for ease of lifting out later. Then use a silicone or rubber spatula to transfer the sticky dough.
My form was a bit too small for all of it, even though I used a long one, so I got to make that cute tiny loaf on the side, which you see in the pictures. I found it quite charming. Alternatively use 2 standard size bread tins or bake twice.
This bakes at relatively low temperatures, but fairly long, compared to most other sourdough breads. So, you get a lovely moist loaf. Since it’s so dark, it’s hard to go by browning grade, I would advise to use an instant read thermometer, which should show around 205 degrees F/96 C when your German Sourdough Black Bread is ready.
The bread needs to cool a few hours, otherwise you’ll have a hopelessly sticky mess on your knife.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot. 🙂
German Black Bread with Sourdough
This hearty German Black Bread with Sourdough is very similar to Pumpernickel, in that is has whole grains and is made with dark rye flour, baked very slowly. The added sourdough gives it more flavour and easy digestibility, while softening the grains in the slow fermentation. This is a dense and flavourful bread, amazing with both savoury and sweet toppings. And really good for you.
If you plan to just ferment the dough for about 8h, pre-soak the grain berries in warm water and drain before mixing into the dough. For 24h, this step is not needed.
Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl: buttermilk, sourdough starter, malt extract (or substitute with honey or molasses), and molasses (or honey). Mix thoroughly.
For the next steps I have given instructions with the stand mixer, as this is a very heavy, sticky dough. But if you don’t have one or just enjoy kneading with your hands, it’ll work perfectly fine, if a bit messy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the dark rye flour, Einkorn Flour (or substitute wholegrain flour), Emmer Flour (or substitute wholegrain flour), Emmer berries, cracked Emmer berries, cracked Spelt berries, sunflower seeds, Flax seeds, kosher salt, and malt powder (if using). Mix on low speed to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined, then increase the speed to medium. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes until the dough is thoroughly mixed. It will be very soft and sticky. There is no windowpane test or similar with this dough. It’s also very forgiving when it comes to the fermentation time.
Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours to ferment and rise.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Transfer the dough into a greased bread tin. Note: This makes 1 large bread tin or 2 standard ones. Alternatively do what I did and make one smaller loaf from the leftovers and bake it beside the tin on baking parchment. Sprinkle the top of the dough with rolled oats.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 100 to 120 minutes or until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 205°F (96°C).
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the tin for a few minutes. Then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy your homemade German Black Bread with Sourdough!
Notes
40 portions:Total Estimated Nutrition per Portion:
Calories: Approximately 150-180
Fat: Approximately 4-5 grams
Protein: Approximately 6-7 grams
Carbohydrates: Approximately 25-30 grams
Fiber: Approximately 4-5 grams
Sugar: Approximately 1-2 gramsPlease note that these values are approximate and can vary based on the specific brands and measurements of the ingredients used. Additionally, the quantities of the ingredients are provided for 1 portion, and the nutrition information is based on a rough estimation.
Nutrition
Calories: 165kcal
Nutrition Facts
German Black Bread with Sourdough
Amount per Serving
Calories
165
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Breakfast, Easy, Healthy, High Fibre, sourdough, whole grain
Pangrattato with Herbs and Lemon Zest – Crispy baked sourdough breadcrumbs, flavoured with garlic, aromatic thyme, Fresh Basil, and zingy lemon. It just takes a few minutes of active work and your oven or pan, to make the perfect topping for pasta, salad or anything that needs a bit of extra crunch and flavour.
What is it?
Pangrattato literally means “grated bread” in Italian. Also described as “poor people’s parmesan” it is so much more than that. A perfect way to use up and stale bread for example. But also, an incredibly flavourful topping for anything that needs more crunch. Many countries have their own versions of this. In Germany for example browned butter with breadcrumbs, to be sprinkled on Plum dumplings. One of my favourite sweet German dishes. (Let me know if you’d like a recipe for it).
The Ingredients
I’m pretty sure you already have everything you need at home: Bread, I love sourdough for this, but you can use any bread. Ideally at least a day old. The classic is just bread, garlic, and olive oil, fried in a pan.
I’m adding thyme and basil here for a deep herby flavour and lemon zest for fresh zing. A bit of salt and pepper and that’s already it. And it’s one of those things that becomes far more than the sum of its parts.
The Process
You can of course very traditionally grate it. But I’m all about making my day easier and am clumsy, so sharp graters are not my best friend. So, the food processor is my best friend. Just rip your bread in rough pieces, peel and roughly slice your garlic, add thyme and basil, zested lemon, salt and pepper to taste and whizz it into crumbs. There should be a mix of fine and slightly coarser crumbs for that perfect crispy texture.
Now the tiny bit of hands-on work: Tip all into a bowl, drizzle over the olive oil and melted butter (you could use just olive oil here, but I just love the added butter flavour) and use your hands to thoroughly work the fat into the crumbs. That’s it. The “hard” work is already done.
Add the mix to a try lined with baking parchment or an oven-proof dish and let it bake for about 30-40 minutes until crispy. Mix it thoroughly every 15 minutes. Don’t skip the mixing, as it’s what gives you the evenly crispy crumbs.
Meal Prep
Leave it to cool and store in a jar or airtight container for up to 6 months. You now have a brilliant crispy, fragrant Pangrattato with Thyme, Basil and Lemon for any of your pasta dishes. Or salads. Or casseroles. Or soup. Or Stew. Well…you get the picture.
I used this on my Mushroom Spinach Pasta Bake the day after making it and absolutely loved the texture and flavour it added.
Please Comment
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share and comment. It helps me a lot.
Pangrattato with Herbs and Lemon Zest
Pangrattato with Thyme, Basil, and Lemon – Crispy baked sourdough breadcrumbs, flavoured with garlic, aromatic thyme, Fresh Basil, and zingy lemon. It just takes a few minutes of active work and your oven or pan, to make the perfect topping for pasta, salad or anything that needs a bit of extra crunch and flavour.
1tbspthyme leavesideally fresh, but dried works in a pinch. If using dried, add them after the baking
2tbspbasil leavessame as for the thyme, fresh is best, so the flavour can soak into the crumbs. But if using dried, add after baking
Zest of 1 lemon
1tbspolive oil
1tbspmelted butter
1tspkosher saltor to taste
1/8tspfreshly ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.
Rip the bread into smaller pieces that fit into your food processor.
Peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves. Add them to the food processor along with fresh thyme leaves, fresh basil leaves, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Pulse everything until finely chopped and well combined.
Tip the mixture into a bowl, drizzle over olive oil and melted butter. Mix with your hands until well combined.
Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly on the baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes, mixing every 15 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.
Once baked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the pangrattato cool.
If using dried herbs, add them now and mix thoroughly.
Notes
This Pangrattato can be stored for up to 6 months in an airtight container.Use to elevate any pasta, stew, soup or salad, by adding herby, zesty crisp to it.Total Estimated Nutrition per Portion: Calories: Approximately 85-95 Fat: Approximately 4-5 grams Protein: Approximately 2-3 grams Carbohydrates: Approximately 10-12 grams Fiber: Approximately 1-2 grams Sugar: Approximately 1-2 grams
Nutrition
Calories: 90kcal
Nutrition Facts
Pangrattato with Herbs and Lemon Zest
Amount per Serving
Calories
90
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
In this Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate, I combine the tangy notes of rye sourdough with the sweet balsamic-liquorice-umami addictiveness from the Black Garlic, adding cocoa, which supports the fruity notes and adds depth. The espresso heightens the chocolate flavour even more And a few secret ingredients will give you a crusty, chewie loaf reminding you of the best German artisan bakeries and their “Bauernbrot” with a twist.
The Inspiration
Admittedly, thinking about garlic, doesn’t usually bring chocolate to mind, but once you’ve tried Black Garlic, it’s really hard not to think about it. Having the shiny black nuggets in the Fridge brings about the most fun recipes. This started as an experiment after I made my Sourdough Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Black Garlic.
I loved them so much, I needed more Black Garlic with Chocolate recipes. And I wanted to make bread, and in my search I spotted this gem of a recipe, which is a white version with sourdough.
Check this post for detailed instructions on how to make your own Black Garlic.
My Adaptations
Personally, being German, I much prefer bread with rye, so I adapted it to get closer to my all-time favourite “Bauernbrot”, which has part rye, part white flour, and a more chewie, moist texture than white sourdough loafs. Adding malty notes with the malt extract and powder, which support the Black Garlic flavour and adds crunch to the crust is one of my favourite ways to improve bread recipes. It also keeps for longer in a bread box.
The Ingredients
I’m mixing different flours together here, to achieve the flavour and texture I’m aiming for, which is a moister bread with more bite to it than your standard bubbly and open crumbed sourdough. Experimenting over the years, I found the magic happens around the 1/3 rye to 1-part white flour mark. Plus, a bit of wholewheat for nutty flavour.
I’m using rye sourdough starter here, for even more flavour. Though if you have just white, it will work fine. Cocoa powder and espresso lend a gentle chocolate flavour. But this is not a sweet bread. You could compare it more to the undertones of Mexican mole, which goes fantastic with savoury dishes.
The Black Garlic acts as add-in similar to dried fruit here, but not as sweet, which again means it’s very versatile in what you can use it for.
And while the 2 malty additions of malt sirup and barley malt powder are by no means mandatory, they add lots of flavour to the bread and more crunch and colour to the crust.
The yeast only plays a supporting role here, to give the slightly heavier rye and wholewheat a bit of an extra lift.
What a Difference a Day Makes
If you need to make your first sourdough starter, check this post. If you already made one and are wondering why yours is reacting so differently on different days…I posted a picture of my two fed jars of fed sourdough in it. It was a slightly colder day in the the last post, so they weren’t as active.
On the day of making this Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate though, it was a lot warmer, so they were wildly bubbling. Also: These are the containers I keep them in while in the fridge. Because i can’t be trusted with jars that are moist from the fridge.
Schedule wise, I usually take my starter out of the fridge and feed it by simply doubling the amount I have left (or more if needed) by adding flour and water to equal parts in weight. Roughly. I never weigh it though. I just spoon some flour in, pour filtered water on top, stir. Check if the consistency resembles thick pancake batter/warm peanut butter and add flour or water accordingly if not. Then I let it sit over night. Or, if I forgot in the evening, just for a few hours. Both have worked well for me in the past. Though if you are making this in winter, better find a cosy warm spot for it.
The Process
Now there are two options here to make this bread: You can follow the instructions below by stretching the dough after it’s first resting period every 30 minutes or so. Or you could simply treat it as no-knead bread, place it in the fridge overnight and only stretch and fold it once in the morning, about 2h before you want to bake. Then give it one final rest while it gets to room temperature.
The results are pretty similar. Check my German Sourdough Rye Beer bread for comparison pictures between the 2 methods.
The Stages of the Dough
As most rye containing doughs, this makes a pretty sticky one. So don’t throw extra flour at it, to get to the more typical smooth white sourdough. It’s supposed to be pretty wet as you can see here.
If you do add too much flour, you’ll end up with “Dwarf Bread”: You always find something better to eat and can use it instead of bricks to smack intruders over the head or build pretty sturdy houses with it. Have a wild guess how I found out…
This is how it looks after a few hours of fermenting.
To Bake
Since this dough is so sticky, I usually cover a sheet of baking parchment with some semolina. You can use flour, as I did for this particular bread, to make the scoring more visible. Though semolina adds even more crunch, which I love. Your choice really. Then tip the dough out on it with help of a silicone spatula. Wet or flour your hands, then stretch and fold the dough in thirds 3 times, each time turning it by 90 degrees, to create some tension. Use your hands to form a round shape, pushing the dough underneath itself while doing so. The process here will give you that beautiful domed shape and add some rise. Do all of this gently, to not knock too much of the air out of it.
Once you are happy with the shape, you can either put it in a well floured bread basket or leave it on the parchment and transfer it back into it’s bowl. Cover with a damp, clean kitchen towel for its final 2h rest.
Now it’s finally time to bake! The reward is near.
Preheat your oven to it’s highest temperature. Add your cast iron pot/dutch oven, so it can preheat too.
Why Cast Iron Pot?
To get that perfect crunchy, but not too hard crust, you need steam. And since very few people I know have a professional convection oven that can produce steam on command (including me), I’m using my dutch oven/ Cast Iron pot for this. The lid keeps the moisture in and transforms it into steam for the first 20-30 minutes, which gives us the moisture we need. Then, taking the lid off, your bread will develop the beautiful crunchy sourdough crust we want.
And finally:
How to Serve
This is an incredibly versatile bread, despite the unusual ingredients. I adore it with fresh, cold unsalted butter, when it’s still slightly warm. I know, I know, we are always told to let sourdough bread cool completely, but I’m not one to follow rules very well. So warm bread it is for me.
I also had it with a bit of apricot jam on top, which was a great contrast. And, oddly enough, a nutty gruyere and some blue cheese, both working incredibly well with the Black Garlic. Oh and, my all-time favourite “Grafschafter Goldsaft”. This is a German sugar beet sirup, which has similar fruity-umami notes to Black Garlic and goes fantastic with any slightly darker bread.
Note: None of the links in this post is sponsored or affiliated in any way. I just share what I use and like here.
Now excuse me while I go and research how to make proper German “Schwarzbrot”, which I’m dearly missing since more than 15 years. And I finally found a fantastic company in Ireland that has Emmer and Spelt berries! Their name is “Riot Rye” which in itself was enough reason to order from them. I’m so excited!
For more amazing Black Garlic Recipes check these:
Please let me know in the comments of you made this and how you liked it.
If this Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate seems to be a bit too “out there” due to the combination, try my German Sourdough Rye Beer Bread as an easy beginner sourdough recipe. It’s incredibly forgiving in its preparation and utterly delicious.
Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate
In this Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate, I combine the tangy notes of rye sourdough with the sweet balsamic-liquorice-umami addictiveness from the Black Garlic, adding cocoa, which supports the fruity notes and adds depth. The espresso heightens the chocolate flavour even more And a few secret ingredients will give you a crusty, chewie loaf reminding you of the best German artisan bakeries and their “Bauernbrot” with a twist.
1tspmalt powderoptional. Gives a lovely crust and flavour
4tbspstrong coffee or espresso
3tspkosher salt
½-1cuppeeled black garlic clovesdepending on how much black garlic you have and like in your bread
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, instant dry yeast, malt extract (or honey), malt powder (if using) and room temperature water. Mix until well incorporated.
Add the strong white flour, rye flour, and whole wheat flour to the bowl. Mix until you get a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. This resting period is called autolyze and helps develop the gluten.
After 30 minutes, add the cocoa powder, and strong coffee or espresso to the dough. Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Now, add the kosher salt and peeled black garlic cloves to the dough. Knead the dough until the salt and black garlic are well incorporated. You can do this by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.
Cover the dough again and let it ferment at room temperature for about 4 to 6 hours, or until it has doubled in size. During this time, perform a series of stretch-and-fold techniques every 30 minutes to strengthen the dough.
Alternatively, you can cover the dough and leave it in the fridge overnight, without the stretches. That’s what I do most of the time and the bread comes out perfectly.
After the fermentation period, gently shape the dough into a round loaf. Place it in a well-floured proofing basket or a lined bowl, seam side down. Cover the dough and let it proof for another 2 to 4 hours, or until it has visibly risen and feels airy.
While the dough is in the final stages of proofing, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven or a lidded oven-safe pot inside.
Once the dough has finished proofing, carefully transfer it to the preheated Dutch oven or pot. You can do this by inverting the proofing basket onto a piece of parchment paper and gently sliding the dough into the hot pot. Alternatively, you can place the dough on parchment paper and lift the whole thing into the pot.
Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor to allow for controlled expansion during baking.
Cover the Dutch oven or pot with its lid and place it in the preheated oven. Bake the bread for 20 minutes with the lid on.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the bread has a deep brown crust and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
This Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate freezes very well. I usually just freeze half of it, to have fresh bread whenever the mood strikes me. Which is often.The nutrition below is very roughly estimated, based on this bread making about 10 slices. Which, of course, depends on the size of your slices. Total Estimated Nutrition per Portion: Calories: Approximately 100-110 Fat: Approximately 0.5-1 gram Protein: Approximately 3-4 grams Carbohydrates: Approximately 21-22 grams Fiber: Approximately 2-3 grams Sugar: Approximately 0-1 gram
Nutrition
Calories: 105kcal
Nutrition Facts
Black Garlic Sourdough Bread with Chocolate
Amount per Serving
Calories
105
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Black Garlic, Healthy, sourdough, Vegetarian
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