How to make kefir bread, waffles, flat bread + more

Kefir Swedish flat bread, bread, waffles, pancakes

In our kitchen we love making bread by hand.

But as for bread machines, you can’t argue with temperamental sour dough starters, just pop in kefir and flour and go to bed on waking turn on and fresh, delicious bread 3-4 hours later!

That even has the sour dough taste.

3 cups organic flour /s of choice (or ground whole grains)

1 1/2 cups kefir

Use a bread maker, place flour + kefir mix and leave overnight or for 24 hours.

Set to bake.

Swedish flat bread

The basic recipe is 500 g rye flour, 300 g water, salt to taste + kefir. (can substitute with flour of choice).

The water is boiled and sprinkled over the flour, mixed and let stand overnight with a little kefir liquid.

• Next day, turn on to a floured work surface and knead until a nice flexible consistency. Divide the dough into two-inch diameter logs and flatten into 15 cm (6″) rounds, cover with a cloth and leave to rise again for 30 minutes.

• Dust with flour, take one of the flatbreads and roll out very thin using a kruskavel (a Swedish corrugated /knobbly rolling pin) or roll and prick with a fork.

• Use a metal tray or a pizza stone if you have one as it helps bake the under side and gives it “a quick rise”.

• Slide it quickly on to the pizza stone and bake for 3-5 minutes until nicely coloured. When baked, turn on to a wire rack and cover with a cloth.

• Repeat with remaining flatbreads.

• When the bread is cool it can be cut into wedges or frozen in whole rounds.

• The flatbreads are at their best when still warm. They team brilliantly with so many things: smothering kefir buttered slices of flatbread with Harissa, tangy cheese or pickled herring.

From this basic recipe come many different variations.

• Some use rye flour combined with light flour or put in leftover boiled potatoes or add a dash of honey, seeds and cumin.

• Make some brödkryddor (Swedish bread spices) by grinding some anise, fennel and cumin seeds together and then add 1 teaspoon of the mixture to the flour.

•These freeze well so it is not worth making a half-batch.

Waffles + pancakes

2 1/2 cups flour/s of choice … Spelt, kamut, green banana or buckwheat flour, etc

2 cups kefir

Soak flour /s overnight in glass bowl covered

In the morning add 2 -4 egg yolks

2-4 tablespoons coconut oil / butter

Dash of Himalayan salt

Dash of raw honey

Cinnamon

Any additions (cacao, etc)

Fold in 2-4 egg whites whipped until they form soft peaks. Cook as you would waffles / pancakes. These freeze and toast beautifully.

Muffins / biscuits

Soak 1/4 cup chia seeds over night in 1/2 cup water.

Soak 3/4 cup rinsed quinoa in kefir overnight.

Add quinoa to blender with chia gel, 60 ml coconut oil (room temperature), 1/2 cup water, the juice of 1/2 lemon and dash of kefir and Himalayan salt. Blend for a few minutes.

Add mixture to greased muffin pans and bake for around 30-40 minutes. Can spread onto a greased tray and bake until brown to make biscuits.

Variation: add spice and grated veggies, herbs or dried fruit.

Love and bacteria, Xo, Lynnie