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Lawrence D. Smith

Hearty German Vollkornbrot

A dense, rustic German rye loaf made from whole dark rye flour, an overnight sourdough starter, steel cut oats, sunflower seeds, and a touch of yeast.
Baked until deeply brown, this hearty bread is ideal for breakfast spreads, savory toppings, or simple slices alongside a meal.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: German
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Starter
  • 2 tablespoons active bubbly sourdough starter
  • 2½ cups warm water
  • 3½ cups dark rye flour or pumpernickel flour
Soaker
  • 2 cups steel-cut oats
  • 1½ cups warm water
Dough
  • 2 cups dark rye flour or pumpernickel flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt using non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 envelope
  • ½ cup hulled sunflower seeds

Equipment

  • 5 × 9-inch (roughly 23 × 13 cm) loaf pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Large spoon
  • Stand mixer, optional
  • Clean kitchen towels
  • Cooling rack
  • Olive oil, for greasing the loaf pan

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Starter: In a large mixing bowl, stir the active sourdough starter into the warm water until it dissolves.
    Add the dark rye flour and mix thoroughly with a large spoon. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it at room temperature overnight for 8–12 hours.
  2. Prepare the Soaker: Place the steel-cut oats and warm water in a small bowl. Stir to combine, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and leave at room temperature overnight for 8–12 hours.
  3. Grease the Loaf Pan: Lightly grease a 5 × 9-inch (roughly 23 × 13 cm) loaf pan with olive oil.
  4. Combine the Dough: Place the prepared starter and soaker in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining 2 cups dark rye flour, salt, instant yeast, and hulled sunflower seeds. Mix everything together using your hands or a large spoon until evenly combined.
  5. Knead the Dough: Knead the mixture by hand in the bowl or use a stand mixer for a few minutes, working it until it forms a dense ball and is no longer crumbly.
    The dough will not be elastic like conventional wheat bread dough. Rather than stretching it, knead by pressing and smashing the dough with your hands.
  6. Shape the Loaf: Form the dough into a log and place it into the prepared loaf pan. Gently press it down so it settles into the pan. The dough should nearly fill the pan because it will not rise very much.
  7. Rest the Loaf: Cover the shaped dough with a damp kitchen towel and leave it at room temperature for 1 hour.
  8. Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  9. Bake the Bread: Bake the loaf for 55–60 minutes, until it is dark brown and sounds hollow when tapped with a finger.
  10. Cool Completely: Remove the bread from the loaf pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

  • Use dark rye flour made from the whole rye grain. If your dark rye flour is not whole-grain, use pumpernickel flour instead.
  • The dough is naturally dense and non-elastic, so it should be pressed or smashed during kneading rather than stretched like wheat bread dough.
  • The shaped loaf should nearly fill the loaf pan before its 1-hour rest because it will not rise very much.
  • Cracked rye kernels, also called cracked rye berries, can be used in place of the steel-cut oats in the soaker.
  • If you do not have sourdough starter, combine the rye flour with water and let it soak at room temperature for about 30 minutes before adding the remaining dough ingredients.
  • Let the baked loaf cool completely before slicing. It can be stored at room temperature in a paper bag for up to 3 days.
  • For longer storage, wrap the completely cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.