Make a successful quick kefir sourdough bread using kefir fermented milk in lieu of a sourdough starter. It bakes up beautifully!
I’m not a chef, nor have I spent years in culinary school learning how to cook a wide array of foods and dishes. I do, however, spend a great deal of time in my kitchen making food from scratch.
Fermenting and pickling, canning and bread making are very rewarding to me. Thus I continue to tinker around with recipes and find things that work for my rather large family.
It would be an understatement if I said I enjoyed bread. I absolutely go crazy for a wonderful loaf of bread – from sourdough to fresh rolls. I have to limit myself almost because I’ll fill up with so much bread I won’t want to eat regular food (and that’s a very bad thing!)
I have pondered the idea of using my kefir fermented milk as a sourdough starter in lieu of keeping a sourdough. Although I have kept a sourdough starter, I find that my kitchen counters are often times overflowing with ferments, kombucha, 2nd brew kombucha and even sweet potato fly.
Kefir fermented milk is a wonderful starter.. and unlike regular sourdough starter, you don’t have to worrry about feeding it daily. As long as you have a daily supply of kefir, it’s a great way to use it up.
Quick Kefir Sourdough Bread
If the thought of making your own bread confounds you, trust me when I say that this is very simple. It’s not so much difficult, but just needs time. Most of this recipe is hands off – anyone with kefir can make this quick kefir sourdough bread.
Mix up your ingredients in a KitchenAid using your dough hook. If you need to add additional kefir, do it a Tablespoon at a time (you shouldn’t need more than 2 additional Tablespoons).
Oil a big bowl, place the ball of dough within, flip it to make sure it’s coated in oil just a bit, then cover with plastic wrap. Push back on the counter and let it sit for 8-12 hours. Once that time passes, dough will have risen dramatically.
Turn the oven on 450 degrees and let it heat up. Move the racks so you have space for your dutch oven.
Remove the dough from the oiled bowl, turn out on a lightly floured counter and fold it into a nice round ball. Don’t be too rough with it, you don’t need to “knead” it either, just tuck the ends under and make a nice ball.
Flour the bottom of your dutch oven a bit, then place the ball of dough in there. Make two slits in the top of the dough to allow it room to expand as it cooks. Place the lid on the dutch oven.
Put in the oven for 25 minutes at 450. (All this heat will help it rise). Then, after 25 minutes, remove the lid and reduce heat to 400. Let it cook for 20 minutes. Should brown up nice, hollow when tapped, remove and allow to cool.
Make a successful quick kefir sourdough bread using kefir fermented milk in lieu of a sourdough starter. It bakes up beautifully!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup or raw honey
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 C. kefir
- 5 C. unbleached, organic all purpose flour
Instructions
- Combine everything in your KitchenAid, use a dough hook. Mix until it all comes together, adding extra kefir (by the Tbsp) if needed. If you need to add more you should only need max of 2 extra Tbsp. Dont add too much.
- Mix super well with the dough hook, until it's all combined. Dough will be somewhat sticky.
- Turn out on a lightly floured counter, knead for a minute or so.
- Oil a big bowl, place the ball of dough within, flip it to make sure it's coated in oil just a bit, then cover with plastic wrap. Push back on the counter and let it sit for 8-12 hours.
- Once that time passes, dough will have risen dramatically.
- Turn the oven on 450 degrees and let it heat up. Move the racks so you have space for your dutch oven.
- Remove the dough from the oiled bowl, turn out on a lightly floured counter and fold it into a nice round ball. Don't be too rough with it, you don't need to "knead" it either, just tuck the ends under and make a nice ball.
- Flour the bottom of your dutch oven a bit, then place the ball of dough in there. Make two slits in the top of the dough to allow it room to expand as it cooks. Place the lid on the dutch oven.
- Put in the oven for 25 minutes at 450. (All this heat will help it rise). Then, after 25 minutes, remove the lid and reduce heat to 400.
- Let it cook for 20 minutes. Should brown up nice, hollow when tapped, remove and allow to cool.
I’ve tried the kefir sourdough bread and in spite of myself, it turned out not too bad, a little flat/thin, but I’ll work it better next time. Thanks much:)
Glad you gave it a try Marilyn! Have a wonderful Sunday.
Hi! I’ve just come across your site while searching for ways to make sourdough using kefir. I love bread too! hence on the quest for a ‘healthier’ option. I wondered if you have an opinion or idea if this recipe would work with rye flour or spelt flour? Also I don’t have an electric mixer…would this work by hand? I’m very new to bread making so not even sure how long I would knead it for without a electric mixer. I hope you can suggest something given your wealth of experience/knowledge! thank you!
(PS I have made standard spelt bread previously but using yeast, the recipe was so basic even mentioned the precise number of kneads it needed! )
Hi Fiz – thanks for the comment! I haven’t ever done a kefir sourdough with spelt or rye. I have done regular sourdough with both of those though.. and I have had success using my grape sourdough starter (that recipe is on my blog here too).
I have kefir here, perhaps I’ll give it a try today and report back? You don’t necessarily have to have a mixer to make bread. Mixing by hand is possible too, it just takes a bit more effort. I can’t accurately tell you how many kneads it would take unless I try doing it on my own. I’ll pull out the kefir and give it a try, maybe tomorrow (I’ll be home all day tomorrow!) and then I’ll report back and let you know my experience (hopefully a success!)
Hi the bread looks delish… I’m cutting my carbs I’m wondering if can use almond flower instead of flour?
I haven’t tried using almond flour Julie, so I can’t tell you for sure! If you do give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
Do you have gram measurements for recipe?
Do you have metric measures for recipe?
Valerie – not for this particular one. But you can always use a calculator oz to gram calculator online to convert.