Bread Experiment

I did not think my Bean Bread experiment would turn out, but it did.  Sounds gross, but I put some refried black peas and a little curry powder in my last loaf of rye bread.  It worked!  I used to bake yeast bread a lot, but ever since I discovered how foolproof and quick it is to make soda breads with sprouted grain flours, I seldom bother with the yeast and kneading and all that.  The black eyed pea loaf tasted good hot out of the oven and toasted the next day, but I did not care for it cold.

The soda bread that tastes best hot or cold is my sprouted wheat applesauce loaf.  The Gourmia 10-in-1 robotic oven allows me to make portion controlled loaves easily.  This loaf is about right for 2 people:

 I used about 1/2 cup of sprouted wheat flour plus a handful of ground flax seeds, 1/2 tsp each of baking powder and baking soda, and a pinch of salt.  Then I stirred in about 1/3 cup of fermented raw applesauce, a splash of avocado oil, and a dollop of buttermilk.  The dough wants to be almost but not quite runny, wet enough so it flattens out from its own weight. 

The applesauce I use is a by-product from making apple switchel, a refreshing fermented beverage made by soaking sliced or diced apples in diluted vinegar and brown sugar in a mason jar with a fermentation cap.  It sits out at room temperature for at least 24 hours and then I strain off the liquid to store in a cooler place in soda bottles until it gets bubbly, but not so long that the bottles burst or it turns into vinegar.  When I strain out the chunks, I add cinnamon (and sometimes more brown sugar to replace what the ferment "ate" and blend it into smooth applesauce.  This applesauce has just enough vinegar taste to work well in baking, but not enough to overpower it if eaten raw.  It is a very useful by-product of switchel making.

I make this beverage from a wide variety of fruits, including cherries, mulberry, grapefruit, etc., but I especially like the apple and strawberry switchel because the chunks of fruit that are left are perfect for baking.  I use the "spent" strawberries in pancakes or waffles, and eat the applesauce raw or add it to my bread dough.