Delicious German Bread

Germany is thought by many to be a country with the largest number of bread types; the posts I read listed 300, up to 3259 (1) types of bread, and over 1,200 different bread rolls and other baked goods. This is a post about German breads, and details on BrotBox, a German e-commerce site baking, and mailing, authentic breads from Germany around the world. To give them a try, use pattycook15 at check out for additional 15% off your order.

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German Bread is Cultural

General Bread History

The GermanFoodGuide website wrote: bread dates back over 10,000 years when people began harvesting grains for food. These grains were ground down and mixed with water to make a porridge. Later, the porridge was baked on hot stones or in ashes to make flat breads. 

They continued: bread making changed completely with two discoveries.
(1) Surrounding bread with heat (as opposed to just cooking it on stones) allowed round loafs to be baked. This led to the invention of ovens. 
(2) Allowing the bread dough to stand for several days attracted yeast to the dough, which made the dough rise. This resulted in lighter more airy breads to be developed. 

German Bread Variation

The reason for such a variety of bread in Germany is related to its political history. Roman Emperor Julius Caesar named an area he had yet conquered as Germania, the area east of the Rhine River, on February 2nd, 962 AD. This was not a country, it was a vast forested and alpine land containing fragmented tribes of many, many regional kingdoms, each with its own culture, language or dialect, and importantly, their own breads. It became a confederation much later in 1815, and an actual unified country in 1871. This means the bread variations are strongly held cultural touch-points throughout the country.

Another reason for this bread diversity, is related to its dramatically differing geographical regions, and subsequently what could actually grow in these regions (1). Germany, historically, grew a handful of cereals and grains: barley, emmer wheat, maize (corn), oats, rye, and spelt. Deutschland writes that right now, grain is grown on about one third of mGermany’s agricultural land. Wheat is by far the leading crop, followed by barley and rye. But what grows where is regionally divergent, based on season length, climate, arable land, and soil fertility.

Germans Love Bread

Goetha writes: The word “bread” carries different connotations for different countries: the French think of their baguettes, the English are looking for something that is easily toasted, the Americans want a quick energy burst and many countries simply want something absorbent, to soak up soup. But the Germans have always seen bread as a proper foodstuff, a source of nutrition for most of the day.

We can also gauge the importance of food based on the words themselves and how they are incorporated into the language. So in German, the word “bread” is referenced in many sayings and as part of important terms.

• Wimbergers writes the importance of bread in German cuisine is also illustrated by words such as Abendbrot (meaning supper, literally evening bread) and Brotzeit (snack, literally bread time).
• As Romans used to talk about payment for work as “worth one’s salt,” in Germany the phrase was “gaining one’s bread.” This speaks to the importance of salt to ancient Romans, and bread to Germans.
• CNN notes, “It sells like sliced bread” is a German proverb describing fast-selling items.

In Bavaria, my experience of bread is that it is a separate food item (like beer). CNN writes: The German Institute for Bread (of course there is such a thing), [states] there are now more than 3,200 officially recognized types of bread in the country. And German bread culture was officially added by UNESCO to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2015.

Bread Tidbits

Studies show that 89% of Germans regularly eat bread, 85% regularly eat fruits/veggies, and 83% regularly consume dairy. The only thing that might beat bread, is probably beer.

Although consolidation into larger grocery stores are reducing the numbers, there still are bread bakeries everywhere in German;, in every village, town, and city. The craft of baking bread is highly rated, and is considered a cultural component of what makes the country unique. CNN agrees, writing: becoming a baker continues to be a highly regarded trade, and German bakers complete high-level, creative training that most other countries do not have.

GermanFoodGuide writes about the flours used in Germany. While the USA’s wheat-based flours are designated by its gluten content, in Germany, flour is designated based on amount of ash per 100 grams. Additionally, USA flour are often processed, bleached and enriched. Flours from Germany and the USA are not the same flours, which can also make replicating German recipes difficult.

But also, since German bread loaves often contain rye, they contain lesser amounts of gluten than USA processed wheat-based bread loaves. Stories are told by some gluten-reactive people that they can, in fact, eat some European breads without a negative response. (But please, if you have celiac disease do not eat any form of gluten, the pain of your disease is not worth experimenting.)

Bread Spices

Seeds or spices can be added into into German breads, or used as toppings. Some of these seeds or spices can be: sunflower, pumpkin, or caraway seeds and anise, fennel or coriander. Like most historical foods, this adds aroma and flavor to the fiber and vitamins coming from the raw flour, but also adds medicinal properties to aid digestion and provides some additional nutrients for health (2).

German Bread Categories

The GermanFoodGuide writes that there are six broad bread categories, which I provide below.

Breads Made From Wheat (Weizenbrote)

• Bread with at least 90% wheat flours.
• Called “white breads” due to their lighter cream to tan color.
• These breads have a milder, wheaty taste, and softer crust.

Mix Wheat Flour Bread (Weizenmischbrote)

• Wheat content is between 50-89%.

Breads Made From Rye (Roggenbrote)

• Bread made at least 90% rye flour.
• The higher percentage of rye, the denser the bread.
• Rye breads are higher in nutrients than wheat.
• Rye has a distinctive, almost fruity, aroma and taste. 
• If sourdough rye is used. the aroma and flavor acquires an additional sour complexity and lessens density.
• Rye will stay fresher for 2-3 days due to its internal moisture.

In areas in Germany that historically relied on rye, meant they had more marginal soils, than where wheat grew. Rye is a cereal that also contains less gluten than wheat, which makes it hard to ferment and rise. As a result, to make a bread loaves, people started using sourdough to initiate the familiar fermented-rise. So typical German rye bread is heavier, darker browns, with a compact texture. But also, this bread is higher in vitamins B and E, has a longer shelf life, and maintains it freshly baked texture longer.

The darkest, most compact and dense of the rye breads was considered pumpernickel, which was originally called black bread. This was made from a coarsely milled wholegrain rye with water and salt. The bread was placed in long rectangle boxes, and steamed for 24 hours in a sealed oven to produce a sweet taste. (I have read this bread was also traditionally fed to chickens and horses.)

Mix Rye Flour Bread (Roggenmischbrote)

• Rye content is between 50-89%. 

Whole or Multigrain Breads

• Breads that use coarse to finely-ground whole grains.
• Often includes seeds as well. 

There is a Five Seed Bread (Fünfkornbrot) is made from wheat, rye, barley, oat and maize (corn) grains. There is also a Sunflower Seed Bread, Pumpkin Seed Bread, and a Three Seed Bread (rye, wheat, and oats). An amazing number of variations exist.

Rolls + Mini-Breads (Brötchen & Kleingebäck)

• Various shapes, sizes, textures, tastes and flavors.
• Rolls and other mini-breads are often considered white bread.

In Bavaria, these small round white buns are called Semmeln, but in Nothern Germany it is called Brötchen. GermanCulture writes bread rolls, known in Germany as Brötchen, which is a diminutive of Brot. These buns can be round or oval, and can be smallish to large hand-sized.

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German Baked Bread from Brot Box

Go to BROT BOX, and buy their German’s Favorite Box to give them a try, use pattycook15 at check out for additional 15% off your order. (Actually you can order anything you want, I just happen to like the selection in this box.)

This box of bread came to us as a gift, and days after receiving it I started seeing an advertisement for this company on Facebook (of course). But their bread looked really good, so we ate some of it that very day. It was so good, I looked it up, to learn more about the company, and read that the bread was made in Germany and shipped around the world.

After eating the third bread selection, fresh and hot from the oven, I wrote to them to let them know how much we enjoyed eating their varied products. What makes their bread so good, is almost a recap of what I have written above about German breads.

• They are using less processed (unbleached + unenriched) flours, so it is a naturally milled flour that meets (stricter than USA) European standards.
• For rye breads, they utilize fermentation via sourdough.
• For many breads they combine wheat flour for gluten, and rye for density, nutrition, and flavor.
• Additionally, their ingredients are GMO-free, made without preservatives, flavor enhancers, artificial colors or other flavors.
• All their products are vegetarian.
• Critically, they also use German and European bakers who are world class craftsmen and women.

I suggest you go to BROT BOX, and try their German’s Favorite Box to get a good sample of their breads. Their bread and rolls are made, and par-baked (~85%), then shipped from Germany to your house. They send it in a box that has an insulated wrapping, and contains dry ice; and while the ice was gone by the time it arrived at our house, the bread was still frozen. I popped them all into the freezer, except for the pretzel crown, which we placed immediately into the oven for its last 15% cooking, to have with lunch.

The bags these bread rolls and loafs come in provide ingredients, nutrition, and baking instructions. Below are some of the breads we received and have eaten.

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Rustic Rye Country Loaf

This is a wheat + rye + barley sourdough bread that is cooked in a round form. It is crunchy-crusty on the outside, and soft-dense-sweet on the inside. If you look at the little piece we have left from this loaf (baked yesterday) you can tell the density of the bread. Too bad you cannot smell the sweet-wheat aroma, great toasted or as is.

My spouse wanted an open faced sandwich for lunch, so I did that with some chicken, topped with watercress. It made a beautiful looking, and tasty, plate to go with tea. This loaf is a slightly sweet bread that works well for nearly any occasion, especially if you cut it so each slice has some nice crunchy crust on it. Frankly, the crust was crunchy and tasted great; as good as the bread itself.

• One sack has 1 loaf, cut into 14 servings.
• Calories: 120 per slice.
• Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g.
• Total Carbohydrate 22g, Dietary Fiber 4g.
• Total Sugars <1g, Includes 0g Added Sugars.
• Protein 4g.

Rye Sourdough Bread

Yummy, crunchy topping and soft interior. Gives off a strong sourdough aroma as soon as its sliced. The bread retains their moisture and chewiness, even after sliced. Dense, but tastes light.

Again we used it for a sandwich for my spouse, and I fried a sunny-side up egg. and used it as toast (soaking up the golden yolk). Like I said, yummy. I love the smell and taste of sourdough rye and fermented bread is recommended by many as a gut healthy bread to eat

• One sack has 1 small loaf (make 8 slices)
• Calories: 140 per slice.
• Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g,
• Total Carbohydrate 28g, Dietary Fiber 2g,
• Total Sugars 0g, Includes 0g
• Added Sugars, Protein 4g.

Pretzel Crown With Sesame Seeds

Fresh out of the oven, and my house transformed into a warm, comfy German kitchen. Sitting down at a table with some creamy unsalted butter, home-made plum jam, and a cup of coffee. The flavors I taste and the aroma that fills my house lifts memories of my Oma and Mutti talking around the kitchen table, women’s voices sharing daily topics, while I sat there focused on eating delicious bread, butter and jam.

• 6 rolls per wreath.
• Calories: 140 per roll.
• Total Fat 3.5g, Saturated Fat 0g,
• Total Carbohydrate 18g, Dietary Fiber 2g,
• Total Sugars 1g,
• Protein 5g. 

Potato Carrot Rolls

A hand sized, oval bun that is filled with veggies and seeds. It is, like many of the breads, crunchy outside and soft inside. Smells great, tastes even better with just enough texture to make the bun + sausage combo full of texture and flavor.

I obviously finished off the bread in the oven, and served it with Hot Italian Sausage and french fries. We added some Thom’s mustard to the buns and enjoyed a nice, easy to make dinner. I prefer eating sausage with a bread that has crunch, rather than the american soft white bread that melts in water.

Additionally, by cooking only two of the buns, I left the rest in the freezer re-wrapped in a freezer bag so I can cook two more when I next need it. This extends the life of the bread and it makes me happy knowing I have more in the freezer just waiting.

I could have used vegan sausage or hot dogs as well. This need not be meat centric. At the same time, this is nice way to sneak in veggies into the diet of those folks (and children) who do not like veggies.

• 6 rolls per bag.
• Calories: 250 per roll.
• Total Fat 4.5g, Saturated Fat 0.5g.
• Total Carbohydrate 40g, Dietary Fiber 4g.
• Total Sugars 2g.
• Protein 9g. 

Bread Rolls

These are palm-sized, round, white wheat buns that I ate almost daily while a youngster. Primarily to eat my most favorite fleishsalad or wurstsalat that Oma would make for us out of leftover meat. But also street vendors would have oval versions and used them to serve sausage.

• One sack as 6 rolls.
• Calories: 190 per roll.
• Total Fat 0.5g, Saturated Fat 0g.
• Total Carbohydrate 39g, Dietary Fiber 2g.
• Total Sugars <1g, Includes 0g added Sugars.
• Protein 6g. 

Large Multigrain “Croissant”

This is a large multigrain version of a croissant that is crunchy on the outside and features a tasty, soft inside. Fresh out of the oven it has that bread aroma, and the seed toppings are great additions by adding more flavorful crunchy things.

I love bread, in case you cannot tell, and could have eaten this ”warm from the oven” bread with just some butter and a nice cup of tea or coffee. Instead we used it as a convenient sandwich bread since I had made some chicken-tarragon salad. But this bread would have been great with some butter + homemade jam, or some soft cheese, or dipped in lemon curd with a smear of raspberry jam.

• One sack has 4 rolls.
• Calories: 430 per roll.
• Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 0g.
• Total Carbohydrate 54g, Dietary Fiber 5g.
• Total Sugars 0.5g.
• Protein 12g. 

Large Oktoberfest Pretzels

These breads are based on wheat and to me, a cook who is not a baker, it is rather complicated, First you have to make the dough and let it rise, work it just enough so it can hold its final shape. But, from my experience, when the dough is not mixed, formed and handled correctly, it turns into a cooked bread-blob that may taste okay, but does not look like a pretzel at all.

Second you have to fold it to make the familiar form. I made German pretzels with a family friend once, Gladys; she made the dough perfectly while I got to whip the dough logs into the familiar shape. So at least there is one thing I can do.

Third, traditionally pretzels have a quick soak in food-grade lye before baking. At home I am a bit hesitant of using lye, so use baking soda in boiling water to cause a similar effect. Makes the bread have its familiar golden-brownish top.

Fourth, the damp dough goes into the oven to steam a bit, then at a critical point the steam needs to escape from the oven so the bread can dry and brown, 

I am still working on making my own pretzels, and my lovely spouse says I am getting closer (not telling the truth, but sweet to say.). But since I am an appreciator, rather than a baker, I will keep buying and eating pretzels that actual bakers know how to make.

No one but a German Baker can really make an Oktoberfest-type large bread pretzel. Going to Oktoberfest, I can tell you this bread-pretzel can be made and cooked in a huge format, over a 8-10” in diameter in some cases. Sellers carry them tossed on a pole, walking through the festival. A lovely site that can make your mouth water in anticipation.

My favorite way to eat them is to warm them up, slather on some butter and, if extra hungry, maybe set out a platter with some wurst and mustard.

• One sack has 6 pretzels.
• Calories: 360 per pretzel.
• Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Sodium 620mg.
• Total Carbohydrate 65g, Dietary Fiber 4g.
• Total Sugars 2g.
• Protein 11g.

Andalusian (Spain) Loaf

BrotBox writes this loaf is shaped by hand and baked on stone. Very crunchy exterior, warm and soft white interior. This bread had a very nice sweet wheat smell. It is also a very light bread, not as dense as the rye breads above.

I should have waited to let the bread cool down, but I could not wait. So I cut off the end and ate it with butter for a nice treat before a cup of tea. My spouse ate it with some nice soft cheese.

• One sack has 1 loaf, cut into 10 servings.
• Calories: 130 per slice.
• Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g.
• Total Carbohydrate 27g, Dietary Fiber 2g.
• Total Sugars 0g, Includes 0g Added Sugars.
• Protein 4g. 

My Story

This is all the bread I have eaten from this company. I will be putting this on my “must have” list, so that I have some in the freezer for those quick dinners I may want to make, or upgrade, as the case may be.

I was raised with bread, and have missed real German bread for a long time. My mother used to live near a German Bavarian baker, and I would buy what I could before I left her house to go back to mine. But, he got older and finally retired. The store now only makes a handful of German pastries (but not my favorite pastry – Bienenstich.)

So finding this online store has made a little highlight for me at the end of this awful 2020. It managed to bring a smile to my face, and a yummy feeling to my grateful belly.

My correspondence with them, yes in English and German, has been very surprising and pleasant. Please take advantage of this great offer, this is one that will bring a touch of Europe into your cooking.

—Patty

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