How long should I ferment the bread?
This depends on your location and current temperature, as fermentation is temperature-dependent. Colder climates will need a longer fermentation, and it can be shortened as the temperatures rise during the year, as the heat accelerates fermentation.
Forcolder climates(winter, with an indoor temperature of approximately 70°F (20°C)), ferment for 24 hours. If your indoor temperature is below 70°F (20°C), you can try leaving the batter in the warmest place in your house to give it the best chance of fermenting.
Forwarmer climates(summer with an indoor temperature between 75 – 85°F (25 – 30°C), I’d recommend starting with 12 hours of fermentation. We have tested this recipe in both summer and winter in Sydney Australia, which remains a pretty temperate climate. Depending on where you are in the world there might be a little bit of experimenting to figure out the perfect timing, but I promise it’s well worth it!
Some people from our IG community in more exotic locations withhotter and more humid climateshave reported good results with as little as 6 hours of fermentation. If this is the case for you, start with 6 hours of fermentation and monitor the dough to avoid over-fermenting. The dough will have a slightly raised appearance and be a little bubbly inside when ready to eat.
There is a smell to my bread. Is that normal?
Yes, fermentation does have a specific smell, which will be reduced when baking. Over soaking the buckwhat will result in a unpleasant smell, so keep it to 6-7 hours soaking time on the kitchen counter or in the fridge for extremely hot and humid climate.
Is this buckwheat bread recipe gluten-free?
Yes, it’s completely gluten-free.
Can I use a substitute for buckwheat in this buckwheat bread?
This recipe only works with HULLED, NON-ROASTED buckwheat groats.
Can I use buckwheat flour?
Unfortunately, it won’t work for this recipe.
How long does this bread last?
It stays fresh for up to 3 days in a sealed container or wrapped in a kitchen cloth. I like to slice half straight away and freeze it to make the most of it.
Can I freeze this bread?
Yes, slice and freeze for up to a month.
Can I use other ingredients in this bread?
While the base recipe only requires one ingredient and cannot be swapped, you can certainly add other ingredients to customize the bread to your liking. Consider adding seeds, nuts, dried fruits such as dates, or spices for additional flavor and texture. I love a mix of black olives (pitted!), rosemary, and walnuts! Just remember to add these extras after the fermentation process and before baking. I however recommend tasting the bread without any ad-ons first, to make sure you have the perfect fermentation time, and know what to expect in terms of taste and consistency. Then, feel free to experiment with these additional ingredients to achieve your desired balance of flavor and texture.
Can I skip the salt?
You can; it will still work, but I find it provides a much-needed touch to the flavor of the bread.
Does the dough rise after fermentation?
It has a very slight rise – it’s quite different from yeast fermentation. Don’t worry if it looks like your dough hasn’t risen much – it will still work.
I’ve left my buckwheat to soak for more than 7 hours. What should I do?
If that’s the case, I would recommend rinsing the buckwheat as it might develop a bit of a smell otherwise. It’s still fine to consume. We recommend not to rinse in our recipe, as when we tested it, we got a slightly nicer texture once baked, but it still worked when rinsed.
Should I soak the buckwheat in the fridge or on the counter?
They are fine to leave on the counter. However, if it’s too hot or humid where you are, you can place them in the fridge. Leave out of the fridge for the fermentation part.
Can I slice my bread straight away when it’s out of the oven?
If you slice it before it cools down, it will just have a mushier texture.
My bread didn’t rise – what can I do differently?
If your indoor temperature is lower than the one we have mentioned, it might need to be fermented longer. Use filtered water if the water in your area contains a lot of chlorine, as this will negatively impact fermentation. Someone in the community also mentioned fermenting the dough directly in the loaf pan as a tip to get it to rise even more.
