Vocational college's hidden training area focuses on gold baking skills
### Berufskolleg Bergisch Gladbach Apprentices Achieve Gold Medals in Bread Exam
The apprentices from the bakery specialist classes at Berufskolleg Bergisch Gladbach have made a remarkable achievement, earning gold medals in the bread exam held by the Bergisches Land bakers' guild on May 10th. The master bakers, Ralf Heringer-Thimme and Volker Scherhag, developed a unique recipe for the awarded breads, which contain sunflower seeds, linseed, and natural sourdough.
The bread inspectors from the German Bread Institute spent a significant amount of time with the apprentices, explaining the test criteria and discussing the future prospects and diverse job opportunities in the baking trade. They praised the careful presentation, taste, and juiciness of the bread creations, particularly the four different variations of a 6-grain bread.
The apprentices were congratulated on their success in the bread exam, and the next steps in their education paths for baker and specialist salesperson are anticipated. The awarded breads, made by the students in the first year of training, will surely set a high standard for future competitions.
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Here's a recipe inspired by the gold medal-winning 6-grain bread, which closely follows the style and craftsmanship shown in award-winning German multi-grain bread. While I don't have their exact proprietary recipe, this closely follows the techniques and ingredient combinations you’d expect from such high-quality bread.
#### Gold Medal-Winning 6-Grain Bread Recipe
*(Inspired by Berufskolleg Bergisch Gladbach Apprentices)*
##### Ingredients:
**Grains and Seeds (6-Grain Mix):** - 100g whole rye kernels - 100g whole wheat kernels - 100g barley flakes - 50g oat flakes - 50g millet - 50g cornmeal or corn flakes (for texture)
**Other Ingredients:** - 500g strong bread flour (wheat flour type 550 or 812) - 100g wholemeal rye flour - 20g fresh baker’s yeast (or 7g dry yeast) - 15g salt - 450-500 ml lukewarm water - 1 tbsp honey or malt syrup (for flavor and fermentation) - 30g sunflower seeds (optional) - 20g flaxseeds (optional) - 20g pumpkin seeds (optional)
##### Preparation:
1. **Grain Soaking (Step 1):** - Soak the rye kernels, wheat kernels, barley, millet, and corn overnight or for at least 8 hours in plenty of water to soften. Drain well before use.
2. **Prepare the Grain Mix (Step 2):** - In a large bowl, mix all the soaked grains and seeds with oat flakes, millet, and cornmeal.
3. **Mix Dough (Step 3):** - In the mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water with honey/malt syrup. Let activate for 5-10 minutes until bubbly. - Add the bread flour, rye flour, salt, and grain mix to the yeast-water mixture. Mix thoroughly to form a sticky dough.
4. **Kneading (Step 4):** - Knead the dough for 10-12 minutes by hand or 6-8 minutes in a stand mixer until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite dense because of the grains.
5. **First Proofing (Step 5):** - Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1.5 - 2 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size.
6. **Shaping (Step 6):** - Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round or oval loaf.
7. **Second Proofing (Step 7):** - Place the loaf on a baking tray or in a banneton basket lined with a floured cloth. Cover and let proof for another 45-60 minutes.
8. **Scoring & Baking (Step 8):** - Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with a baking stone or tray inside for steam. - Score the bread with a sharp blade to control expansion. - Place the bread in the oven, spray steam for the first 10 minutes (or place a pan with water on the bottom rack). - Bake for 10 minutes at 230°C, then reduce temperature to 200°C (390°F) and bake another 30-40 minutes until the crust is dark and crisp.
9. **Cooling (Step 9):** - Remove bread from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow crumb to set.
##### Tips for Success: - Using soaked whole grains adds moisture and texture typical of traditional German multi-grain bread. - Incorporate malt syrup if possible; this enhances fermentation, flavor, and crust color. - Maintaining steam in the oven during initial baking ensures a crisp crust. - Rest time after baking is critical for best crumb texture.
This Gold Medal-Winning 6-Grain Bread Recipe is inspired by the success of the Berufskolleg Bergisch Gladbach apprentices in a food-and-drink related competition. The bread is part of a lifestyle that values home-and-garden craftsmanship, as the students created a unique recipe for their award-winning bread, containing sunflower seeds, linseed, and natural sourdough. Cooking this recipe will not only result in a delicious, multigrain loaf but also follow in the footsteps of these talented apprentices.
