How to make Essene bread

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

2 cups of organic spelt grain.
1 1/2 - 2 cups spelt flour.
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt.
1/2 cup sourdough starter.
2 tablespoons coconut oil..

Step 1

The basic recipe for Essene bread just involves sprouting a grain such as wheat, spelt or rye, then grinding it in a food processor, mixing in some herbs and spices and spreading the mixture out thinly on a stainless steel tray and baking it in a cool oven at 65C (150F) for 12 - 24 hours. You can also use a dehydrator if you have one, or put the tray on a rock in the hot sun.
Step 2

The following Essene bread recipe uses additional flour and a sourdough starter. The result is a moist, chewy bread. Make sure that you use organic grain from a health food shop and not grain intended for agriculture.
The Essene recipe invites lots of experimentation with different types of grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and dried fruits such as dates. You may also wish to experiment with not grinding the sprouted grain but instead leaving it whole.
Step 3

Sprouting the Grain
Soak the spelt grain for 12 hours in two litres of water. Drain off the water, rinse, pour off the water, then lay the jar on its side so that the water can drain out. Rinse 2 - 3 times per day for 1 - 3 days. The weather will determine how long you sprout and how often you need to rinse. You need to make sure that the sprouts do not dry out and that they do not grow bacteria or mould. The sprouts are ready when the rootlets are about 1-2 mm long. If you sprout the grain for too long then they may become woody.
Step 4

Making the Bread
Drain the sprouted grain well so that it is almost dry then grind it in a food processor at medium to high speed with the sourdough starter and the coconut oil. (You may need to add a tablespoon of water.) Once it has formed a smooth dough transfer it to a bowl.
Mix the salt and any herbs and spices with the flour, then mix the flour a small amount at a time with the dough until it is firm enough to be kneaded. (You may not need to use all of the flour but if your spouts were quite wet then you may need to add additional flour.) The dough will probably be quite sticky and moist as the gluten will not form as well as with a normal sourdough bread.

Put the dough in a refrigerator for about 12 hours to give time for the antinutrients to be degraded from the flour. The next day, kneed the dough for a few minutes, shape it, then transfer to a baking tin. Cover with a damp t-towel and leave in a warm place (28-32C) until it doubles in size, then bake at 180C for 45 minutes. You may wish to experiment with a lower temperature and a longer time.
Step 5

Who were the Essenes ? They were a group of holy people who lived in the 1st century BC and AD. Perhaps much earlier. They were known as The Theraputae (Healers) of Egypt, the Essenes of Qumran, and the Essenes of Mount Carmel. The Essenes at Qumran either authored what are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls or were their keepers and transcribers. Josephus writes that they "strove to be like Angels of heaven." It is thought that John the Baptist spent time with the Essenes at Qumran. The ‘locust’ he ate are said to have been the pulp of carob pods, not the insect; his method of baptism (immersion) was similar to the Qumran Essene’s ritual bathing several times a day, those Essenes were called ‘Baptists,’ and, John’s prophetic theology matches what is known of the Essenes at Qumran. The conclusion becomes even more firm when one considers the following evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the ‘Community Rule’ of the Essenes of Qumran, their goal is described as: “To prepare the way for the Messiah in the desert wilderness... to prepare a people to meet the Master.” Similarly, in the New Testament, John the Baptist declares in John 1:23 “I am a voice crying out in the desert wilderness, make straight the way of Yahweh.”
Step 6

The Catholic monastic order of “White Friars” currently established on Mount Carmel moved there in the 12th century. They adopted vegetarianism and the white robes of the Essene monks that still survived when the friars arrived. The Catholic “Carmelites” assert that Yeshua was an Essene and he was raised on Mount Carmel. Such information is available from various sources including The Essene Christ by Upton Ewing, the Catholic Carmelites’ own history books, and the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition, vol. 5., pg. 358.

Comments

kaytay said

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on 3/27/2009 I will have to try essene bread because I had never even heard of it

NightowlMama said

on 3/2/2009 that sound s so yummy thanks

ScarlettOHairy said

on 2/19/2009 Interesting concept. I hadn't heard of the Essenes or their bread. Thanks!

LissaK said

on 2/13/2009 Never heard of this one. Definitely interesting, I can see a lot of preparation goes into making this special bread. I think I'll make some!