How to Convert any Baked Good Recipe to a "Soaked" Recipe (2024)

Blog /

Shannon
March 14, 2013

In the Kitchen

If you’re familiar with Nourishing Traditions then you’ve certainly heard of soaking grains. I personally believe that soaking is just a half-step towards the better option of fermentation, which you can read more about here.

That said, sometimes I want to soak something because, you know, I accidentally killed my sourdough starter… or other better reasons which I can’t actually think of right now. So, yeah, I killed my sourdough starter and I haven’t started a new one yet. And that’s why I’ve been soaking stuff lately.

It’s actually fairly easy to convert any recipe to a “soaked” recipe. First, though, lets talk about the elements necessary for a good grain-soaking:

Moisture. You can achieve this with water or some type of dairy product.
Acidity. This can be vinegar or lemon juice added to water or a cultured dairy product such as kefir, yogurt, or buttermilk which all contain lactic acid.
Warmth. Generally speaking, fermentation happens faster and more efficiently if temperatures are between 60 and 90 degrees.
Time. The longer, the better. In fact if you let it soak long enough it will eventually just ferment anyway.

A lot of people talk about phytic acid and neutralizing other types of anti-nutrients. I think this is all good, but personally, I’ve just found it is a lot easier on the body to digest grains that have been broken down a bit through soaking or fermentation before eating. That’s because whole grains contain fiber, which, while some tout its health benefits, can be very hard to digest.

There are two types of common baked goods: yeast-risen and “quick” breads. Yeast-risen breads usually require a proofing period which can be extended to also include the soaking period, but you have to make some adjustments. Quick breads can be soaked before adding leavening agents and other ingredients like eggs.

For a soaked yeast-risen bread I like something akin to this no-knead bread. It has a long rise time because it uses very little yeast. I replace 2 tablespoons of the water with apple cider vinegar and have used entirely whole grain flour with different, but delicious results. I have done variations on this with other bread recipes using a ratio of 6 cups flour to 1/2 teaspoon commercial yeast with two long rising periods.

For a soaked quick bread you will have to go against the formula that goes something like this: mix dry ingredients in one bowl, mix wet in another bowl, combine and bake. Instead I mix my flour with whatever liquid is involved – usually some type of cultured dairy. I let that sit for at least 12 hours. Then any other liquid ingredients I combine in a small bowl – eggs, melted butter, etc. I then sprinkle the salt and leavening agent over the grain-dairy soaking mixture. I slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the soaked flour with sprinkled salt and leavening agents while stirring just until combined. If a recipe calls for butter to be cut into the flour I do that and then add the liquid for soaking.

I have successfully made this 100% cornmeal cornbread into a soaked recipe by simply soaking the cornmeal and milk (usually a combination of kefir and fresh milk). I then proceed with the rest of the recipe 12-24 hours later.

Generally speaking, a soaked recipe is usually not identical to a non-soaked recipe in results. Often times I find that the texture is actually better, especially the “raising” property of the bread probably due to the breakdown of the fiber. Other times it’s just different. Because we notice a difference in how we feel, any small taste differential is minor when we leave the table feeling nourished instead of heavy and tired.

Reducing Food Waste – An Interview with Pam of Greenily

In March, I was honored to be interviewed by Authority Magazine for a series about reducing food waste. One of the key points we touched

Meal Planning

Spring Recipe Roundup with the Plan to Eat Team!

Spring always feels like a good time to clean, get rid of clutter, and organize our lives after months of cold days and cloudy skies.

Join The Tribe

Try it FREE for 14 Days! No credit card needed!

Only $5.95/month or $49/year if you choose to subscribe.

Get Started Today

How to Convert any Baked Good Recipe to a "Soaked" Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you soak all-purpose flour? ›

Reducing the level of phytic acid is not a concern when baking with all-purpose flour or bread flour where the bran and germ have been sifted out of the flour. That's why you don't need to soak these types of flours. However, baked goods made from flours that no longer contain the bran and the germ are less nutritious.

Explore More ›

How to soak flour for cookies? ›

The basic technique is the same no matter what grain you're working with: simply combine the flour and the liquid called for in the recipe and let this soak overnight before continuing with the recipe. Some people advocate adding a tablespoon of an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or yogurt per cup of liquid.

Tell Me More ›

What can I do if I don't have all-purpose flour? ›

All-purpose flour is the most common flour called for in recipes, for both cooking and baking. But if you don't have any in the pantry, or can't find any in the store, there are other flours you can use in its place. Bread flour and cake flour—on their own or mixed together—can substitute for all-purpose.

What happens if I use self rising flour instead of all-purpose flour? ›

Remember that self-rising flour is a softer flour, so baked goods made with it will not be the same as when you use all-purpose flour—for example, cookies may spread more and be thinner and crisper than if made with all-purpose flour.

Discover More ›

What does soak mean in baking? ›

Soaking (or drizzling) is adding liquid to a cake after cooking, usually a syrup or alcohol, to make it less dry. Example: "Soak half the genoa sponge with griottines syrup" Meaning: Dip a brush in the syrup and brush onto the cake, over the whole surface.

See Details ›

What is a soaker baking? ›

When adding coarse dry ingredients to a dough, I always presoak these additions, making what bakers call a “soaker.” Presoaking dense grains will ensure they don't pull moisture from your dough, leaving you with a dense, brick-like loaf. Soaking also helps with digestibility and softens the grains for better eating.

What are 5 grains to avoid? ›

Absolutely—there are plenty of fantastic gluten-free grains out there, such as brown rice, quinoa, corn and more. Grains to avoid are wheat (such as wheat berries, spelt, kamut, farro and bulgur), rye, barley and triticale.

View Details ›

Does apple cider vinegar destroy phytic acid? ›

Soaking flour or whole grains in water with an acidic medium such as apple cider vinegar or lemon might sound bizarre, but it's a practice that has been used around the world for centuries. The acidic environment helps to “wake up” up the enzyme phytase, which begins to break down phytic acid.