Homemade Bread Kvass
Description
The drink is quick and easy to prepare. This refreshing and healthy beverage quenches thirst and also makes an excellent base for delicious kvass soup. There are many ways to make kvass, and today I'll share my version. I don't like store-bought kvass—it tastes artificial and overly sweet. This recipe yields a rich, tasty, and aromatic kvass. Making it is effortless; the process is simple and straightforward. If you're interested, come on in!
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients from the list. I use regular gray bread for making it, but if you want to get kvass with a distinctive color and a more pronounced flavor, use bread with a higher content of rye flour, for example, Borodinsky bread.
- 2
Step 2
Prepare the croutons. To do this, cut the bread into medium-sized pieces. Spread them out on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 180°C for 10–15 minutes. The bread should dry well and darken slightly. Be careful not to overdo it, otherwise the kvass will taste bitter.
- 3
Step 3
Boil the water for the kvass in advance, then cool it to a warm temperature. Use an enameled pot instead of a metal one to prevent the kvass from reacting. Add sugar and yeast to the warm water.
- 4
Step 4
Add the breadcrumbs. Cover the pot with gauze or a linen cloth and leave at room temperature for 2 days.
- 5
Step 5
Then strain the kvass through the same gauze or napkin.
- 6
Step 6
Discard the soaked bread, as it is no longer needed. Add a handful of raisins to the kvass, cover with cloth again, and let it ferment for another 24 hours. I used a glass jar. Then carefully strain once more, trying not to stir up the sediment (return the raisins to the strained kvass).
- 7
Step 7
Pour the kvass into a plastic bottle or other narrow-necked container with a tight-fitting lid. After that, open it carefully! Store in the refrigerator.
- 8
Step 8
Homemade bread kvass is ready. You can use it to make cold soup (okroshka) or simply drink it.