Homemade bread recipes usually call for either store bought yeast or a bread “starter” that is passed down from someone else. I’m a fan of both of those, but also LOVE bread made with kefir milk as it requires no additional yeast other than what naturally occurs in the kefir. Kefir grains are similar to a “scoby” used in kombucha or in making vinegar in that the grains are a “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”. To make kefir milk, you simply put your kefir grains in a jar of fresh milk, leave it to ferment for 24 hours then strain out the grains, add more fresh milk and start over. From this cultured milk, you can make yogurt, cheese, bread, add it to a smoothie as a gut health booster or just drink it plain. (it’s remarkably similar in taste to buttermilk) Kefir grains keep growing as you feed them, so if you’re interested in sourcing some, I’ll be more than happy to sell you some of mine, you can find them on the “Products” page of this website… and I have lots, lol!
Bread making was my biggest surprise in the world of kefir and I find the kefir milk to be less demanding than maintaining a sourdough starter. You can even put the grains “to sleep” in the refrigerator for up to a month if you’re going to be away or get tired of dealing with them. They’re very forgiving. I have had luck modifying all sorts of bread recipes with the kefir milk, simply substitute the milk in the same proportions of water as your recipe calls for and then leave out the yeast. I do find that recipes containing more than a quarter cup of oil tend to get too heavy and not rise as well as lighter recipes when I make the kefir substitution, so keep that in mind. Although this recipe didn’t come from it, a really good kefir recipe resource is the book, The Art of Natural Cheesemaking: Using Traditional, Non-Industrial Methods and Raw Ingredients to Make the World’s Best Cheeses
Anyway, if homemade bread rings your bell, make sure you try the recipe below with kefir milk using NO added yeast or sourdough starter!
Kefir Bread
1 1/2 Cups kefir milk
3 Cups All-Purpose Flour (white, wheat, rye, etc.)
1/4 Cup Honey
1/8 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Salt
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix in milk, honey and olive oil. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Add flour as needed if dough is too sticky, but do not add flour after the first 5 minutes. If dough is still too sticky, lightly oil your hands. After kneading dough, transfer to an oiled bowl and allow to sit for 24 hours. After the first rising is complete, punch the dough down and place in greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise again in a warm place. The dough will not rise as much as you may be accustomed to, but it should still rise by at least half of it’s original size. (if you’re in a time pinch, I have also had success with only one rise, no punching down, and turned out great bread) Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Brush with butter or olive oil and serve.
Be sure to make some cheese to serve with it! 😉
Hi Jen! Just checking in to see how things went and if you ever got any rise. This bread doesn’t rise as much as bread made with yeast, but its rise should definitely be visible. If it didn’t work, I’ll be happy to help troubleshoot. The thing I find most often with kefir bread is that if my kefir is too “fresh” it doesn’t rise as well. You may have too little yeast in your milk. An extra day to age won’t hurt the kefir milk and will allow enough yeast accumulate to give a good rise. Just pull out your grains first and let only the milk continue to develop.
Hi. I’m baking my bread right now, but I’m not sure it’s going to turn out. It did not rise at all. Not a single bit since I made it. What could have went wrong?