Desem (pronounced DAY-zum) (Dutch for "

leaven In cooking, a leavening agent () or raising agent, also called a leaven () or leavener, is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture. An altern ...

") is both a type of

sourdough Sourdough or sourdough bread is a bread made by the fermentation of dough using wild lactobacillaceae and yeast. Lactic acid from fermentation imparts a sour taste and improves keeping qualities. History In the ''Encyclopedia of Food Microbio ...

starter made from

whole wheat A whole grain is a grain of any cereal and pseudocereal that contains the endosperm, germ, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. As part of a general healthy diet, consumption of whole grains is associated wi ...

flour,

spelt Spelt (''Triticum spelta''), also known as dinkel wheat or hulled wheat, is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since approximately 5000 BC. Spelt was an important staple food in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. No ...

flour or other flours (such as

kamut Khorasan wheat or Oriental wheat (''Triticum turgidum'' ssp. ''turanicum'' also called ''Triticum turanicum''), commercially known as Kamut, is a tetraploid wheat species. The grain is twice the size of modern-day wheat, and has a rich, nutty ...

durum Durum wheat (), also called pasta wheat or macaroni wheat (''Triticum durum'' or ''Triticum turgidum'' subsp. ''durum''), is a tetraploid species of wheat. It is the second most cultivated species of wheat after common wheat, although it represen ...

and

tritordeum Tritordeum is a hybrid crop, obtained by crossing durum wheat with the wild barley '' Hordeum chilense''. It has less gliadin (gluten) than wheat, but still performs well in breads, both in terms of dough rising and texture qualities, and in ta ...

) and

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

, and the resulting bread. Desem bread is essentially a 100% whole grain pain au levain, done in the old French way for those who do not prefer their bread sour. Desem starter is traditionally used in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

to make healthy, nutrient-rich

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

. The starter is grown in a bed of flour at cool temperatures until it reaches sufficient maturity. The starter is not exposed to outside bacteria and yeasts, but achieves its leavening power from organisms present in the whole wheat flour itself. For this reason, desem starter is best made with grains free of chemicals (i.e. organically grown without herbicides, pesticides or dessicants) and water that does not contain chlorine or fluoride. The leavening power of desem starter may be stronger than that of typical sourdough starters. The term "desem" also describes the loaf made with this starter. Desem bread made from a mature desem is characterized by a strong rise, and a light texture, with a nutty taste. When made properly desem bread is not all that sour compared to rustic sourdough breads. The loaf is similar in process to the French "pain au levain", but made with

whole wheat flour Whole-wheat flour (in the US) or wholemeal flour (in the UK) is a powdery substance, a basic food ingredient, derived by grinding or mashing the whole grain of wheat, also known as the wheatberry. Whole-wheat flour is used in baking of breads ...

and starter instead of white flour. Desem bread is considered to be a "leavened" bread, rather than a "yeasted" bread. It keeps well and digests comfortably. Desem bread has a strong following in the natural foods community, where it was largely popularized by

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...

cookbook author Laurel Robertson.

Preparation

Starter

Unlike sourdough starters which are exposed to outside air, the desem starter is grown in a bed of flour (3-4 inches of flour surrounding the ball of dough made from fresh wheat flour and pure water). Keeping the flour cool (approx. 50-65°F, or 10-18°C) during the initial incubation period is important as higher temperatures may make the desem starter sour. The cool incubation environment is particularly important for desem. While getting a desem starter (a dough starter) going the first time can be challenging, keeping it going can be easier than sourdough starters (liquid starters). Feeding the starter daily and baking bread once per week is the standard method of keeping the desem starter happy and thriving but feeding it weekly or freezing it for later are viable options.

Methods and Baking

The techniques for making desem bread are similar to the techniques used for sourdough breads, but present unique challenges.

Qualities affecting health

Fully fermented sourdough breads may be more digestible for those with gluten sensitivity, but more research is needed.

References

*''Good Food: The Complete Guide to Eating Well'', Margaret Wittenberg. 1995. p93. * *''The

Laurel's Kitchen ''Laurel's Kitchen'' is a vegetarian cookbook, first published in 1976, that contributed to the increasing awareness of vegetarian eating in the US. Its authors were Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, and Bronwen Godfrey, and its subtitle was ''a ha ...

Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking'' 2ed, Random House, 2003, .

External links

Making desem bread

Desem Making Primer: a-z
{{Bread Sourdough breads Leavening agents Dutch words and phrases