I grew up in the rural part of South Baden and did my enducation there. But it wasn't until I moved to Hesse that I learned to appreciate two things because I miss them in Hesse: Butchers and bakers. And I'm not talking about the "meat/sausage counters" and "bakeries" in supermarkets here.

After four years in Hesse, I just couldn't stand the bread anymore and decided: I now bake our bread myself. Actually, I had already reached the point a few times - but the baking results were modest.

Until I now came across a simple bread recipe, in which you can not really do anything wrong. It succeeds me times better or worse, but it is always delicious. I wanted to share with you now simply my recipe, possibly someone else would like to bake simple and uncomplicated bread.

Ingredients

• 500g flour (varieties can be mixed as you like, higher percentage of wheat flour is better).
• 150g yogurt
• 1 tsp of baking malt
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp honey/agave syrup/maple syrup
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 10g fresh yeast

Baking instructions

1. Put the flour, yogurt, malt, salt, vinegar and honey in a bowl and stir at low speed for 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, mix the yeast with about 240g of lukewarm water and let it stand for 10 minutes.
3. Add the yeast water to the bowl and knead slowly for 3 minutes, then quickly for 7 minutes.
4. After the time check the consistency of the dough, it should no longer be shiny, but also not a solid ball. Adjust with more or water depending on consistency.
5. Flour the dough from the top and let it rise, covered with a damp cloth, for at least one hour to a maximum of two hours.
6. Preheat oven to 240°C top/bottom heat.
7. Remove dough from bowl and on a floured surface, stretch twice and fold in thirds.
8. Put the dough into an oiled and floured cast iron pot (e.g. Le Creuset cast iron pot* - I use it) and cut 1-2 times in the top, then put it with lid into the oven for 50 minutes.
9. After 50 minutes, do the knock test: If the bread sounds hollow, then it is done. It should cool for about 10 minutes after baking.

More tips:

• If you are up for it, then you can add in sesame seeds, grains, onions, garlic, .... Then you have to adjust the amount of liquid a little.
• The bread can be stored in a cast iron pot, where it remains edible for more than a week.
• Alternatively, cut the bread and freeze it. The slices can be quickly defrosted in the toaster.