Recipe: Baking Bread the Tirolean Way

Verena, chef at the Böglalm hut in Alpbach, shows Christine from the blog Lilies Diary how to bake fresh bread the Tirolean way. Scroll down for all the ingredients and instructions.

Ingredients

500 g rye flour
500 g bread flour
700 – 800 ml lukewarm water
25 g sour dough (optional, makes the bread stay fresh for longer)
25 g bread spices (coriander, caraway seeds, fennel and aniseeds)
1 tablespoon rye malt
25 g salt
2 small packs dry yeast

Instructions

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Slowly add the water and mix together by hand or using a mixer until you have a firm dough.

Knead the dough thoroughly, first in the bowl and then on a work surface (this can also be done using a machine).

Split the dough in half and shape each one into a ball. Place the balls in a bowl, cover with a teatowel and leave to rest at room temperature for around one hour. The dough will rise, causing the balls to roughly double in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heating). Knead the dough once more and then shape into two loaves.

Place these loaves onto a baking tray with greaseproof paper and leave to rest for another 20 minutes. Prick a few holes in the top of each loaf using a fork.

Bake the loaves in the oven for around one hour. A good way to tell if the bread is done is by turning it over and knocking on the bottom – if it sounds hollow then the bread is ready to be taken out of the oven.

Step 2: Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 2: Slowly add the water.

Step 3: Mix by hand or with a mixer until you have a firm dough.

Step 4: Knead the dough thoroughly, first in the bowl and then on a work surface.

Step 5: Split the dough in half and shape each one into a ball.

Step 6: Place the balls in a bowl, cover with a teatowel and leave to rest at room temperature for around one hour.

Step 7: Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heating) and knead the dough once more.

Step 8: Shape into two loaves.

Step 9: Place these loaves onto a baking tray with greaseproof paper and leave to rest for another 20 minutes.

Step 10: Cut a pattern into the top of the bread using a knife.

Step 11: Bake the loaves in the oven for around one hour. Turn each one over and knock on the bottom. If they sound hollow then they are ready.

Enjoy!