German Bread Sticks – With Sesame, Caraway Seeds

Learn today how to make German bread sticks like we make them in Germany. You can sprinkle them with caraway or sesame seeds, salt or poppy seeds, grated cheese or sunflower seeds. There are many variations. These bread sticks taste different than the ones you can buy. There are two videos on the bottom which show dough making techniques like it is common in Germany. It is an art indeed to make the right bread. One video shows how to fold the dough, the other one is the grinding of the dough which is called “Schleifen” in German. That’s why German bread is so good. Happy Baking!Ingredients German Bread Sticks

Ingredients German Bread Sticks

800 g flour, all purpose or bread flour – 1.76 lb or 6.3 cups
Note: In general, 1 sachet of yeast (or 1 1/2 teaspoons / 0.35 ounces) will raise app. 3 cups of flour in one hour. If you’re using less yeast, you will need a much longer ferment / first rise and a long second rise as well.
25 g fresh yeast or equivalent dry yeast amount (2 sachets)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
60 g lard or butter, you also can use 50 g sunflower oil
420 ml water milk mix, lukewarm
1 egg, mixed with water
sesame, caraway seeds, poppy seeds coarse salt, sunflower seeds etc.

FLOUR INFO
The difference between Bread and all-purpose flour is, the bread flour contains more protein than all-purpose. This helps with the gluten development. Some recipes call for it when an especially chewy and elastic crumb is desired.
Plain flour is not recommended as it won’t make the dough raise as good as bread flour. Recommended is Spelt flour, a relative of wheat, which produces excellent flour for bread-making; it is available in white as well as wholegrain varieties.

Baking Instructions German Bread Sticks

– Place flour in a bowl, add yeast, milk-water mix, very soft butter, salt and sugar.
– Mix well, knead until the dough is smooth and shows some bubbles.
– Use a plastic foil  to cover the bowl (this is important as the yeast dough likes moist air). You can also use a moist kitchen cloth. Let dough raise until dough amount has doubled.
– On a smooth surface, sprinkled with some flour,  knead dough again and fold it twice (see first video how this is done, use a plastic bowl or a baking board).
– With wet hands and a spatula pull the dough lengthwise, then fold it.
– Let sit for 10 min covered with moist cloth. Fold again. Let sit for 5 min.
– Cut in equally same size pieces, form balls and “grind” them (see second video).

You can also make rolls of half the dough and bread sticks of the other half.

MAKE ROLLS 
– Form the rolls and let raise on a baking tray.
– Brush them with the egg-water mix, sprinkle sesame, caraway or poppy seeds on top and cut crosswise.
– Place a fire proof bowl with water in the oven.
– Bake in preheated oven on 425 F for 10 min, then reduce heat to 375 F and bake for another 10 min.

MAKE BREAD STICKS
– Roll the dough balls into an oval, long size.
– Each dough will be rolled starting from the lower dough end. Where both dough ends meet, press the dough together, roll again. So it will be seamless.
– Continue the same way as with the buns.

FOLDING THE DOUGH

GRINDING THE DOUGH (it’s called Schleifen in German)