In STOCK! Kombucha, Tonic and more. FREE SHIPPING!

Gut-Loving Kombucha Bread

by Hannah Singleton

Prep Time

3 days

Cook Time

35 mins

Serves

We’re jumping on board the #iso bread making trend with this Gut-Loving Kombucha Bread. Our kombucha loaf is a bit of a hybrid - somewhere between a sourdough and bread. It’s the perfect balance of airy and light with a great crunchy crust your mates will drool over (not literally, we hope).

Traditionally, sourdough requires a starter (this is what makes the bread rise), made from yeast and bacteria. Yes, you can buy a starter culture, but where’s the fun in that? We don’t like to cut corners at Nexba so we’ve created our very own starter, made from a blend of 00 flour (the easiest to use for making bread) and Nexba Kombucha.

It’s a bit of a process but bear with us… it’s worth it!

Image credit: Nexba

The good stuff you'll get:

Making your own bread ensures you’re eating only the good stuff. No glues, no gums, no hidden sugars, no preservatives. Yep, not only have we removed the nasties, but we’ve even added extra goodness: Enter Nexba Kombucha.

Nexba Lemon & Elderflower Kombucha. By now, I’m sure we’re all familiar with kombucha. That delicious, fizzy drinklet that tastes like a soft drink, but is actually loaded with probiotics which helps to support our gut health? What we also now know, is that not all probiotics were born equal. Nexba Kombucha has a unique strain of live probiotics (500 million of them in every bottle, to be precise) which are specifically crafted to survive the journey from mouth to gut. Just where they need to be in order to work their magic.
00 flour. 00 flour is a finely ground Italian flour. The numbers “00” represent the colour of the flour: 00 being white and 04 being closer to wholemeal, for example. 00 flour is lower in gluten than regular all-purpose flour, so it’s a bit softer on the tummy for those with a gluten sensitivity. If you’re concerned about pesticide residue, we recommend using an organic flour.

Gut-Loving Kombucha Bread

Prep time 3-4 days | Cook time 35 mins | Serves 12

Ingredients

Starter

1 cup 00 flour
1/2 cup Nexba Elderflower & Lemon Kombucha (or flavour of choice)
(+ extra to ‘feed’ your starter)

‘Levain’

3/4 cup 00 flour
1/2 cup Nexba Elderflower & Lemon Kombucha (or flavour of choice)
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 heaped tbsp Kombucha Starter*

*Store remaining starter in the fridge to use for your next loaf.

Dough

3 cups 00 flour, sifted
1 1/4 cups Nexba Elderflower & Lemon Kombucha (or flavour of choice)
1/4 cup olive oil (or additional kombucha)
1-2 tsp salt
Levain mix

Method

Prepare your starter. Combine flour and kombucha in a large jar. Mix well and cover using a cheese cloth secured with an elastic band. Store at room temperature for 24 hours.
After 24 hours has passed, discard about half of your starter and feed the remaining starter with 3-4 tbsp of flour and the same quantity of kombucha. Repeat this process every day for the next 2-3 days or until it has expanded significantly - it should almost double in size.
Next, prepare the ‘levain’. This is what gives bread its spongy texture. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, kombucha, sea salt and 3 tablespoons of your starter. If the mixture looks too wet add more flour (quantities will vary slightly depending on temperature as well as the type of flour used). Cover, place in a warm spot and set aside overnight.
Now it’s dough time! Combine flour, kombucha, olive oil and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well before gradually adding the levain, using a wooden spoon to mix well until it gains the consistency of dough. Cover and set aside for a further 1-2 hours.
You don’t need to knead this dough (pardon the pun), however you will need to fold it a few times. Take a portion of the dough in your hand and stretch it slightly, then fold it back over a few times. Repeat this process for the remaining dough. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Repeat this folding process another 3 times. By this stage, the dough should look very smooth. After the last folding, cover and stand for 1 hour.
Place the dough on a floured rolling board or clean kitchen bench. Shape into a loaf or use a loaf tin lightly greased with olive oil. You may need to use two loaf tins depending on the size. Cover with a floured tea towel or cloth and place in a warm spot for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (fan forced).
Place your loaf in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees C and bake for a further 15-20 minutes. The crust should look golden. Remove from loaf tin and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Add spread of choice or enjoy your delicious master piece on its own!