Fonio Breads

Excellent breads can be baked from the millet species fonio. Whether aromatic fonio sourdough bread with a nutty flavor or gluten-free bread based on your own fonio starter fonio is the basis for these delicious bread recipes. Recipes by Alexis Görtz, Edible Alchemy

05/03/2026

Ingredients

Ingredients for 4 portions

Sourdough Starter

100 g Flour

100 g Water

Fonio Sourdough Bread

275 g active sourdough starter (e.g. wheat, rye, spelt, see instructions above: Sourdough Starter)

300 g lukewarm water

300 g Wheat flour

300 g Fonio flour (grind fonio in the mill or high-performance blender)

12 g Salt

Fonio Sourdough Starter

300 g Fonio

300 g Water

Gluten-Free Bread

500 ml Water

15 g Psyllium husks

150 g active fonio sourdough starter (see instructions above)

15 g Salt

30 g Agave syrup

100 g Fonio flour (grind fonio in the mill or high-performance blender)

100 g Tapioca starch

100 g Millet flour

100 g Brown rice flour

100 g Oat flour (grind oats in the mill or high-performance blender)

Preparation

Maintaining the Sourdough Starter

Mix equal parts flour and water (e.g. 100 g flour and 100 g water) in a jar with a cloth cover so the mixture can breathe and interact with the yeasts in the air (aerobic).

Feed the starter daily with equal parts water and flour until it bubbles (approx. 3-7 days).

Activate the starter by feeding (equal parts water and flour) about 5-8 hours before preparing the dough.

The starter should be at its highest point and full of bubbles when used for baking. If you have a flat or tired starter, your bread will be flat too.

If you do not use the starter, store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for 2-3 weeks without feeding. If you use it after long refrigeration, you need 2-3 feedings before it is active enough to bake with.

Preparation Fonio Sourdough Bread

Stir the sourdough starter and water in a bowl.

Add flour and knead for 5 minutes until the dough no longer tears and is smooth. Moisten hands if necessary.

Let the dough rest for 20 minutes to 1 hour so the flours can absorb the water.

Fold in salt and any spices, raisins, nuts, or seeds. Stretch and fold the dough, do not press down.

Stretch and fold the dough about 30 times while turning the bowl.

Let the dough rest on the work surface for 20-40 minutes.

Shape a dough ball (fold edges, roll) until a bun forms.

Place in a proofing basket to rise.

Wrap the basket in a plastic bag or a damp cloth and refrigerate overnight OR let rest at room temperature for 4-6 hours.

10.

Turn the dough onto baking paper and score the top in the shape of an X.

11.

Set the oven to 220 degrees.

12.

Place a glass or metal bowl over the bread to create steam.

13.

For additional moisture, place a small egg cup with water inside or spray the bread.

14.

Bake for about 35 minutes with the bowl covered and without preheating; adjust depending on the oven.

15.

Remove the bowl (careful, hot!) and bake for another 11-15 minutes until a dark crust forms.

16.

Let the bread rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Herstellung Fonio-Sauerteig-Starter

It takes about 3 days to develop an active starter. Use a sufficiently large container (approx. 500 ml).

Day 1: Grind 300 g fonio. Mix 100 g fonio flour and 100 g warm water in an open container. Cover with a paper towel and rubber band.

Day 2: Add 100 g fonio flour and 100 g warm water to the mixture.

Day 3: Remove half of the mixture, add 100 g fonio flour and 100 g warm water. After about 5 hours the mixture should have risen; observe bubbles in a transparent container.

Preparation Gluten-Free Bread

In a mixing bowl combine water, salt, agave syrup, sourdough starter and psyllium husks. Wait briefly until a gel-like consistency forms.

Mix all dry ingredients in another bowl; grind grains fresh if necessary.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined.

Put into a loaf pan, use baking paper or grease it. Sprinkle with seeds or nuts if desired.

Cover with a damp cloth or plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

The next day remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 1800C.

Bake for 80 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool.

Note: If you have a cast iron pot, you need to preheat it in the oven for 30 minutes before placing the bread inside with the lid closed.

Note: If the starter sits for too long, it will rise to its highest point and then collapse, forming a watery liquid. Pour this off and feed the starter. Do not mix the liquid back in, as this leads to an imbalance of the yeasts in the sourdough.