Homemade Rye Bread Kvass
A soft, lightly fizzy kvass made with Borodino crackers and raisins. Perfect for pairing with hearty holiday meals.
- Time
- 24 h 30 min
- Serving
- 123 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $0.24
- Protein
- 2 g
Ingredients
- 1 Borodinsky rye breadpack 350 g ≈ $3.50 20 g
- 2 Sugar 18 g
- 3 Dry yeast to taste
- 4 Raisinspack 200 g ≈ $2.40 3 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Cut the bread into cubes and dry at 325°F (160°C) for 15–20 minutes until dark crackers form without burning.
Transfer the crackers to a large jar, pour in 3 liters of boiling water, cover, and let steep for 3 hours until warm.
Strain the liquid, add sugar, and stir until fully dissolved.
Mix in active-dry yeast and raisins4, cover with cheesecloth, and ferment at room temperature for 20–24 hours.
When bubbles form and a tangy bread aroma develops, strain the kvass again.
Bottle tightly, refrigerate for 3–4 hours, and chill before serving.
Tips
- Why it works
- Dry the rusks at 160 °C to kill bacteria and prevent early fermentation. Overdrying gives a bitter taste.
- Substitutions
- Replace the raisins with dried apricots (30 g), the kvass will be less sweet. Use regular rye bread (20 g) instead of Borodinsky, but the aroma will be less rich.
- Common mistakes
- If the kvass isn't bubbling after 24 hours, the yeast is inactive or it's too cold. Check for a missing sour smell and no bubbles on the surface.
- Storing and reheating
- Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Pour into a glass before serving and wait 10 minutes to let the gas escape. Don't freeze.
- Serve with
- Serve with roast chicken or pickled cucumbers at a festive table. Use it in place of juice or compote with a snack.
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