Scalding malt
Malt is covered with boiling water and left to stand: this brings out its colour and aroma and leaves no dry specks in the dough.
Techniques
Cooking techniques
Most recipes in this reference rely on five or six techniques. Once you master them, you can make kvass without instructions in front of you, keep a starter going and work confidently with malt in dough.
Fermentation does not like to be rushed. If you are not sure it has worked, wait a little longer and taste again.
How this section works: a technique is included if at least two recipes on the site need it and it can be done in an ordinary home kitchen.
Core techniques
Short descriptions of what is done with grain and fermented products, and why.
Drying rusks
Slices of rye bread are dried in the oven to a deep brown. Burnt edges make kvass bitter, so it is best to trim them off.
Feeding the starter
A starter is fed regularly with fresh flour and water. Its rise and bubbles show whether it is ready for baking.
Stopping fermentation
Kvass is strained and chilled once it tastes pleasantly sour. Cold slows the yeast and preserves the drink.
Batter with fizzy liquid
The bubbles make the batter airy. For adults, beer is used; for everyone else, cold sparkling mineral water.
Slow braising
Meat simmers on low heat in liquid with onions and bread. For the alcohol-free version, stock is the base.
How to make a rye sourdough starter
Mix flour and water
In a clean jar, mix a couple of spoonfuls of wholemeal rye flour with the same volume of warm water to the consistency of thick sour cream.
Keep it warm
Cover the jar with a cloth or a loose lid and put it in a warm, draught-free place.
Feed it daily
Once a day, remove part of the mixture and add fresh flour and water in the same proportions.
Watch for the signs
After a few days, bubbles and a sourish smell will appear. Once the starter reliably rises after feeding, it is ready to use.
Discard anything doubtful
Pink, orange or fuzzy patches are a sign of spoilage. Throw such a starter away entirely and begin again.
How to replace beer in a dish
| Dish | What beer does | Alcohol-free substitute |
|---|---|---|
| Braised meat | Colour, bready bitterness, liquid | Beef stock with a slice of rye bread and a spoonful of unsweetened kvass |
| Batter for fish | Bubbles and lightness | Cold sparkling mineral water |
| Bread and buns | Liquid with a malty flavour | Water with scalded malt |
| Sauce for sausages | Tang and body | Stock with mustard and a dash of cider vinegar |
See also
- Recipes
Kvass okroshka, rye bread with malt and beef braised in beer, with an alcohol-free alternative.
- Ingredients
Rye and barley malt, hops, rusks, sourdough starter and yeast: how to choose, store and use them.
- Drinks
Bread kvass, mors, sbiten and alcohol-free malt drinks; beer only as a pairing with food.
- Tips
Short practical tips on sourdough, kvass and baking, plus our article catalogue.
- Questions
Answers to questions about kvass, malt, sourdough and how to cook dishes with beer safely.
- Seasonal
Cold kvass soups in summer, spiced hot drinks in winter and treats for the festive table.
What we rely on
- cookery reference books and traditional Russian recipes
- GOST 31494-2012 (kvass)
Fermentation and baking times in the recipes are approximate: they depend on your kitchen temperature, the flour, the rusks and how active the starter is. Go by taste, smell and look, not just the clock.