Buckwheat Sourdough Batter Bread (very easy, no starches, great rise!)

Gluten Free Sourdough RecipesWhole Grain Sourdough RecipesGluten Free Bread Recipes

25 July

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Hello, my whole grain baking friends! Today, I'm thrilled to share a recipe I've finally mastered: an easy and reliable method for buckwheat sourdough bread. The inspiration for this came from those viral rice batter bread videos from a few years back, and it turns out, this approach works beautifully for buckwheat too!

This recipe offers a wonderful, simple gluten-free sourdough option for those who need it. But even if you're a wheat bread lover, I can almost guarantee you'll adore this too.

This recipe is ideally fermented with a sourdough starter (learn how to make any type of starter here) but if you’re not yet into creating your own natural ferments at home, you can also use a pinch of yeast to get this bread going.

Buckwheat Sourdough Batter Bread Recipe

Yields: 1 loaf

Prep time: 15 minutes

Fermentation time: 4-10 hours (depending on season/ambient temperature)

Bake time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

500g buckwheat flour (as fresh and unrefined as possible)

Alternatively, if you mill your own flour, use 500g hulled buckwheat to mill into flour. Just use whole but hulled buckwheat.
I purchase my Australian grown buckwheat here (whole grain and pre-milled flour options).
Please ensure that you use a gluten free buckwheat flour and sourdough starter if you need a truly gluten free buckwheat bread (ie. flour milled/processed in a gluten free facility).

1 ⅓ teaspoons (about 8g) salt
1/2 - 2/3 cup sourdough starter (or a pinch of yeast)
- I fed my starter with oats for this recipe. Oats make a wonderful bread starter! Check out my popular fermented oats sourdough recipe here.
500g (500ml or 2 cups) filtered tap water, enough to create a thick batter.

Start with 1.5 cups (375ml) and add more as needed to reach a thick batter consistency.

Optional: a sprinkle of extra flour or psyllium husk if your batter is too thin (I have successfully made this loaf a few times with nothing other than buckwheat flour!).

EQUIPMENT:

Digital scale (or use these conversion charts for volume measurements)
Medium to large mixing bowl
Large flat spoon or spatula
Loaf pan (approximately 20 x 10 x 8 cm, holds at least 1.2 litres)
Optional: Roasting dish (to bake loaf pan inside for added steam)

METHOD:

Prepare the Batter: In your mixing bowl, combine the 500g of buckwheat flour and 1 ⅓ teaspoons of salt. Mix the salt through very thoroughly.
Add Starter/Yeast: Add about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of active sourdough starter to the flour mixture.
- If using yeast, add a pinch and mix into the flour, or dissolve into the water - instant yeast can be added either way.
- Note: The more starter you add, the faster the fermentation will be. In colder weather, more starter speeds things up. Check out THIS VIDEO for tips on managing sourdough baking in hot weather.
- I have made this loaf with various amounts and types of sourdough starter - it’s very forgiving!
Incorporate Water: Gradually add the water, starting with 1.5 cups (375ml), mixing well to create a very thick batter rather than a traditional dough. Add more water as needed until you reach a thick, lump-free consistency. If you accidentally add too much liquid, a sprinkle of extra flour or psyllium husk can help thicken it.
Ferment the Batter: Cover the bowl and leave the batter to ferment. Depending on your room temperature and the amount of starter used, this could take anywhere between 3 and 12 hours (or even longer in cold weather).

Tip: In colder weather, you can preheat your oven for 1 minute, then turn it off and place the covered bowl inside to speed up fermentation. You can also leave this batter to ferment overnight if the weather isn't too hot.

Check for Fermentation: Your batter is ready when it has risen slightly in the bowl. If using a glass bowl, you'll see tiny bubbles. The top of the batter should have a slightly domed, risen shape. It should smell nicely fermented, like a fresh sourdough starter or yeasty if you used yeast.
Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: As soon as your batter looks ready, preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F). If using the roasting dish method for added steam, preheat the roasting dish along with the oven. While the oven preheats (about 15 minutes), grease your loaf pan.
Spoon into Pan: Gently spoon the fermented buckwheat batter into your greased loaf pan. You can use a big flat spoon or carefully pour it. Handle the batter as gently as possible to preserve the air bubbles, which keep the loaf light. Do not stir the batter once it's bubbly. It's okay for the batter to fill the pan to the top.
Bake: Place the loaf pan into the preheated oven. Bake for at least 1 hour. This bread doesn't brown easily, so ensure it's baked thoroughly.

My baking method: 50 minutes inside the roaster, then 10 minutes uncovered, then a final 5 minutes with the bread out of the tin. A simple 1 hour at 220°C should work well.
The bread is done when it sounds hollow inside when you tap the bottom of the loaf.

Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing.

And there you have it! This bread is flavorful, delicious, and a perfect, easy way to bake 100% whole grain buckwheat sourdough. I enjoyed a few slices of this the next day with my home-grown avocado and fermented nut cheese spread, and oh my gosh, it was good! This one will be on regular rotation for us now, for sure.

Thanks for coming along with me for this recipe today. I hope you enjoy it :)

Please leave any comments, questions or feedback below.

Thanks so much for your support!

Buckwheat Sourdough Batter Bread (very easy, no starches, great rise!)

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