How to Make an Amazing Eastern European Style Rye Bread

rye flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier with good fats.

active dry yeast

🥗Healthier: fresh yeast

💰Cheaper: instant yeast

Fresh yeast provides a more robust flavor.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: maple syrup

Honey offers natural sweetness with flavor.

Combine caraway seeds, rye flour, fermented rye malt, mashed potato, and boiling water in a large bowl to make the scald.

Cover and let the scald cool down for around 2 hours.

Check the temperature of the scald and ensure it is around 26 degrees Celsius (79 Fahrenheit).

Add cold water to the cooled scald to achieve a final dough temperature of around 24 to 25 degrees Celsius (75 to 77 Fahrenheit).

Mix the scald with water, salt, yeast, and barley malt syrup using a whisk.

Add white bread flour and mix again until incorporated.

Add remaining rye flour and mix until no dry flour remains.

Place the dough in a clean bowl and check the temperature, aiming for 24 to 25 degrees Celsius.

Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes for initial cool down.

Remove the dough from the fridge and fold it to build gluten strength and equalize temperature.

Dust the dough with flour, flatten it, and fold it over itself before returning it to the bowl and refrigerating for 24 hours for cold bulk fermentation.

After 24 hours, remove the dough from the fridge and prepare the baking tin by rubbing it with butter.

Remove 20 grams of dough, add 20 grams of water, and whisk to create a glaze.

Shape the dough into a log and place it in the greased tin, pressing it down to fit.

Cover the loaf for final proofing, which takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on kitchen temperature.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 Fahrenheit) during the final hour of fermentation.

Brush the glaze over the loaf and poke holes in it with a chopstick before baking.

Bake the loaf in the oven.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens