As of: March 5, 2024 2:13 p.m
Germany is known for its variety of bread and rolls. But what makes good bread? An overview of the most important varieties and ingredients as well as great recipes for baking yourself.
For breakfast, in between or as a classic evening meal: Hardly any other food in Germany stands for tradition and originality as much as bread. But in many bakeries the reality is different: bakers turn to baking mixes to save time and money. The production of sourdough – the basis for an artisanal mixed rye bread – takes several days. On the other hand, with a ready-made mix, the dough is ready within a few hours.
What ingredients? is there bread dough?
A traditionally made dough contains flour, water, salt, raising agents such as yeast or sourdough – and nothing else. However, many bakeries today use additional ingredients and additives to improve the baking properties and to be able to offer a greater variety of products. Some examples:
Ascorbic acid allows flour to ripen faster and also serves as a preservative because the addition of ascorbic acid improves the shelf life of the flour.Emulsifiers help mix water and oil. The dough has more volume and becomes looser.Locust bean gum binds water (potatoes, starch or guar gum are also suitable for this purpose).preservatives are only permitted with sliced bread. They are intended to prevent mold. An alternative method of combating fungus: The sliced and packaged bread is heated to about 70 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.Enzyme change the properties of the dough. For example, they ensure faster maturation of the dough, a loose crumb and a crisp crust when baking or even a longer shelf life of the pastries. They do not require labeling, which is criticized by consumer advocates. However, some manufacturers indicate the addition of enzymes in the list of ingredients. So-called technical enzymes can also be used in the production of organic baked goods.Fett and Zucker are intended to improve the taste. Their share of the dough must not exceed ten percent.
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What is in ready-made baking mixes?
Baking mixes contain long-lasting ingredients such as flour, starch, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk and egg powder as well as, depending on the recipe, raisins and nuts. Bakers can process these mixtures according to their wishes. That’s why not all breads made from the same baking mix have to look or taste the same.
What types of bread are there?
The selection of bread is huge. The following traditional variety groups are particularly common:
Wheat bread or white bread consists of at least 90 percent wheat flour, which ensures a mild taste. The rest can be supplemented with other flours. Typical wheat breads are white bread, baguette and ciabatta.Mixed wheat bread is baked from 51 to 89 percent wheat flour and has a stronger taste than wheat bread. Mixed wheat breads include Hamburger Feinbrot and Kasseler bread.Roggenbrot like Berlin country bread is made from at least 90 percent rye flour. It has a strong, often slightly sour taste.Mixed rye bread contains 51 to 89 percent rye flour. The higher the rye content, the stronger the taste. Mixed rye breads include, for example, Mecklenburger country bread and Paderborn bread.Whole grain bread must contain at least 90 percent rye or whole wheat flour (or a mixture of both flours). Wholemeal flour contains all parts of the grain, either finely ground, as a meal or as a whole grain. Whole grains on the bread crust or inside (the crumb) are no guarantee that the dough was baked with whole wheat flour.
Ingredients: How are they labeled?
Many breads and rolls look delicious and crispy from the outside, but what’s inside?
Many bakeries have full lists of ingredients available in their stores. However, this is not mandatory, because less information has to be provided for baked goods sold loose in bakeries, supermarkets or discounters than for packaged foods. The providers only have to provide information about the 14 most important allergens, including grains containing gluten and dairy products.
For packaged bread, some information is mandatory, for example flour, flour content, weight, best-before date and a list of ingredients. Dark-coloring substances such as malt extract, caramel or sugar beet syrup also have to be labeled. They are usually intended to simulate a high proportion of wholemeal flour, but the bread is only colored. A look at the ingredients list will help you figure this out.
Store bread properly
Bread is best stored at room temperature. To prevent it from drying out, it needs to be protected. The best storage method: Place the bread cut side down on a wooden board and wrap it with a clean cotton cloth or place it in a bread pan with the cloth. Packaged bread should be stored in its original packaging. Breads with a crispy crust and rolls should be left out in the air because otherwise they will become soft. Basically, the higher the wheat flour content, the shorter the bread stays fresh. While white bread only lasts up to three days, rye bread lasts up to ten days.
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IIs bread healthy?
That depends on the type of bread. White bread, for example, provides hardly any nutrients or fiber because it is made from white flour. It contains a lot of carbohydrates, but is not very filling. Bread made from wholemeal flour, on the other hand, is nutritious because the whole grain contains many minerals such as calcium and magnesium, trace elements and fiber as well as some B vitamins. The higher the so-called flour type, the more nutrients it contains. If you bake bread yourself, you should buy type 1050 wheat flour rather than the widely used type 405 flour and, if possible, mix it with nutrient-rich rye flour.
The high salt content of bread is problematic. That’s why you shouldn’t eat too much of it, especially for people with high blood pressure.
Discard moldy bread
Even if only small areas are affected by mold, the whole bread belongs in the trash can. Because mold also grows invisibly inside the bread. Some types of mold are suspected of causing cancer and allergies and damaging the kidneys and liver. If you use a bread bin, you should regularly wipe out crumbs. They are particularly quickly affected by mold.
Gluten-free breads for celiac disease
Some people cannot tolerate wheat, others cannot tolerate grain products at all, including conventional bread. In the autoimmune disease celiac disease, the gluten protein triggers inflammation of the small intestine. Gluten is contained in wheat, spelt, rye, barley, oats and green kernels. For those affected, there are special gluten-free breads made, for example, from corn flour or buckwheat.
Bread: information for consumers
In order to create more clarity about the definition, ingredients and production processes of bread, the German Food Code Commission has set guidelines for bread and small pastries. Compliance with the guidelines is monitored by food monitoring.
Consumers can find further information about the cultural asset of bread and the bakery trade at the German Bread Institute, which was founded by the German Bakery Trade for quality testing and advice.
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