It’s been about a year since I discovered soaked bread, and it has revolutionized our meals. That’s not hyperbole. Trim Healthy Mama (and some other way-of-eating plans) are proponents of bread products that lower the glycemic impact of grains. The three methods I’ve heard of are: sourdough, sprouted, and soaked. All three of these methods makes a whole grain flour more digestible to our guts.
Sprouted Bread — I love sprouted bread, and most of the Silver Hills flavors are “on plan” if you can find them. I can buy several varieties locally, as well as bagels, hamburger, and hot dog buns. Depending on where you live, there are other brands available. You’re looking for an ingredients list that begins with a whole grain flour and has two-or-less grams of carbs per slice. The biggest cons of sprouted bread for many people are availability in stores, the expense per loaf (easily double many other types of bread), and the expense of sprouted flour for those who prefer to bake their own.
Sourdough Bread — Sourdough is all the rage, am I right? I’ve been making sourdough bread and bread products for decades. However, since discovering soaked bread (which I wish had a sexier name!), I’ve all but broken up with sourdough.
Why? Sourdough is GREAT is you are using your starter often, at least a couple of times a week. But for many empty-nesters or small families, that’s not practical. It takes a few times of feeding starter if it’s been inactive before it is bubbly enough to make bread that rises well… which makes So. Much. Dough that it makes vast huge amounts of bread products. I’ve been known to bake six loaves of bread, bagels, wraps, crackers, and more in one day because there’s so much to use up. Then… guess what? The freezer is so loaded with breads that it takes two people months to go through… and then the process begins again.
What of just having small, manageable amounts of bread in the freezer that you can eat in a week or two? That don’t get freezer-burned because they’re quickly consumed? That don’t take up an entire freezer on their own?
The cons of sourdough, to me, are many. The pros? Delicious, healthy bread. If you want to know more about baking your own sourdough products, I recommend Around the Family Table Blog. Glenda Groff is a THMer and noted sourdough expert. I’ve used many of her recipes and loved them.
Soaked Bread — Until early 2024, I didn’t really know this was a thing or how to implement it. Then I came across this recipe at Eat Well Spend Smart. I’ve made it dozens of times over the past year and made many variations, including rye bread, buns, and cinnamon rolls. But today’s recipe for Sunflower Oat Soaked Bread, my most common variation, is the bread I used to make, now implementing the soaked method. I love the flavor of the oats and sunflower seeds, especially when toasted!
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Soaked bread has all the benefits of sprouted or soured bread, but doesn’t require babysitting a starter and getting it to perform. Soaked bread is made with every day, grocery-store brand, whole-wheat flour — as inexpensive and readily available as possible.
Ready to start baking?
Recipe: Sunflower Oat Soaked Bread — THM E
Makes 2 sandwich loaves (**Please note that some of the photos in this post were taken on a day I doubled the recipe.)
Bake 375º for 35 minutes
12-24 hours before (or overnight), mix the following in a stand mixer, or mix by hand:
• 4.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup regular rolled oat flakes, uncooked
• 1/2 cup oat flour (with more in reserve)*
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 3 cups water (temperature unimportant)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Mix until all the flour products are wet. Cover and leave on the counter for 12-24 hours. I run the Bosch mixer for a couple of minutes to incorporate the liquids, then put the lid on it and leave it on the counter until morning.
In the morning, add the following:
• 1 scant tablespoon instant OR active dry yeast
• 1 scant tablespoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons honey (I actually don’t measure this, just use a decent dollop)
Knead for 8 minutes. If you have a Bosch or a Kitchen Aid, let it do the work. Add oat flour* as needed (maybe up to one cup? But probably less) to get the correct consistency. You want the dough to hold together and no longer be sticky. You are NOT trying to see how much flour you can make the dough absorb. If you’re unfamiliar with kneading bread, maybe seek out a tutorial elsewhere.
If you don’t have an electric mixer, go ahead by hand. I have done it many times. Have a little oil for your hands. Have oat flour ready to sprinkle in as needed. Set the timer for 8 minutes, and get to work. Don’t skimp on the time LOL. Use the oil on the countertop and on your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Add oat flour if it is too sticky. Again, seek out a tutorial if you’re unfamiliar.
When the dough is of desired consistency and elastic in feel, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Let it rise until double in bulk. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, this may be anywhere from 1-2 hours. If your kitchen is really cool, place the bowl in your oven with only the oven light on.
When the dough has roughly doubled, weigh it. This is optional, but I do like having fairly even loaves, so I usually weigh. Then tear it in half and weigh each part, adjusting until they are close to the same weight. (Photo shows four loaves, so obviously you’re dividing it in to four parts if you doubled the recipe…)
Lightly spray two loaf pans. In my opinion, metal pans are superior as the crust browns better. You do you.
Then press each blob of dough fairly flat into a rectangular shape, making sure to squeeze out any bubbles you find. Roll up tightly, pinch the ends, fold them under, and set in a prepared loaf pan.
Squish the dough out as flat as you can, pressing into the corners. Now do the other loaf, then cover them with the damp tea towel again.
Once the dough is rounded over the tops of the pans by roughly half an inch, turn your oven to 375º and set the rack low in the oven, so the top of the bread pans will be at about halfway up. When your oven is hot, take a thin, sharp blade, and score the top of your loaves to about 1/4″ deep. This helps prevent blowouts on the sides of the loaf, which can happen if pent-up gases have nowhere else to go.
Others will tell you what internal temperature bread needs to ensure doneness. I have never taken bread’s temperature in my entire life. I set the timer to 35 minutes then reach in and knock on a loaf. If it LOOKS done and sounds hollow, I take it out of the oven. I then tip the pans to remove the bread and place the loaves on a cooling rack.
The hardest part? Waiting until the loaves are completely, totally, at room temperature before cutting into them!
Once the bread has cooled, I generally slice it all, bag, and freeze. It is easy to break several slices off the frozen loaf, and the slices thaw quickly on the counter or in the toaster. Enjoy!
*Oat Flour is simply ground up rolled oats. You can buy it, or whiz dry oats in your blender to make your own flour.
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