I'm not grainlady....but have messed with wheat berries....and no it doesn't change the amount of water.....the amount of humidity in the air would change the hydration more than sprouting the wheat....but of course you will drain them well...won't you?
I'd love some chopped dried apricots in that bread.
Linda C

I'll have to disagree with Linda on this one - but she's at a bit of a disadvantage not having the entire recipe.

The recipe is designed for dry wheat berries and the amount of hydration is designed for that in order to give the kernels of wheat a chance to absorb water during the 24-hour rest in the refrigerator.

What you could do instead is to sprout, then completely dry the wheat before adding it to the recipe. I don't think sprouting will be necessary or will contribute all that much because the fermentation during the 24-hour rest in the refrigerator will accomplish much the same thing. Be sure to let us know how this recipe works out. I may need to flake some rye and give it a try myself.

Ironically, I just stirred up a 1/2 recipe of "Whole Grain Rye" from the same book and I added a little whey from my homemade kefir. The lactic acid and lactobacilli from the whey will help break down complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult-to-digest proteins found in whole grain and whole grain flour. PLUS, the soaking (during refrigeration) increases vitamin content and makes all the nutrients in the whole grains and whole grain flours more available.

About adding apricots.... Vollkornbrot traditionally doesn't include dried fruit, not saying it couldn't be added.... A recipe for Hutzelbrot would be a better choice for that.

-Grainlady

Thanks for the responses. My sole reason to sprout the grain was for health reasons, but if the soaking does pretty much the same thing, I don't think I'll bother. I love this recipe and make it regularly.

I'd like to make it if you wouldn't posting the full recipe.

I actually have all the ingredients in the house.

Bumblebeez, it really helps if you're familiar with the basic no-knead technique developed by Hertzberg and Francois.

After you mix up everything as described, right in a container with a lid, you let it rise for a couple of hours, then put it, covered, in the fridge for 24 hours. When you're ready to bake, you sprinkle the top with flour, and cut the dough in half. Sprinkle the cut piece with more flour, fold under to make a ball, rotating the ball as you go and elongate the ball to fit an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 size NON-STICK (they're very firm about this) loaf pan that you have lightly greased with oil. Let rise at least 2 hours (it won't rise much)or until no longer cold. Preheat oven to 450 and place an emptly metal broiler trany on a rack that won't interfere with the rising bread.
When the bread is risen and the oven is hot, brush bread with cold water, place in oven and pour 1 cup hot water into the broiler tray. Bake for about 45 minutes or until richly browned and firm.

The rest of the dough can be made any time in the next 10 days, though it may get a little watery if you wait too long. I usually do it within a couple of days and freeze the loaves.

Thanks so much! I'll mix it up today.

I baked the bread tonight- what a great bread! Just what I have been looking for in a bread: chewy, airy, flavorful and crunchy. Oh, and healthy.
The wheat berries were still quite crunchy, I can see how they will be less so as the dough ages, maybe a bit better.

I ate several slices though and committed that bread sin you're not supposed to do, I sliced the hot from the oven loaf.

Thank you so much for posting the recipe for me Lacey.

So glad you loved the bread, bumblebeez. I love really dense breads with whole ingredients, and when I saw how easily this one is made, it's become my staple.