KEY TOOLS/EQUIPMENT:
- Oven – preheat to 475°F
- 6 x 4 inch loaf pan, greased with vegetable oil
- Digital kitchen scale
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon
- Scraper
SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD:
- Servings: 3
- Preparation Time: 14H
- Cooking Time: 30M
- Total: 14H30M
- Difficulty: Easy
INGREDIENTS: (All measurements are by weight except TBS and tsp.)
- 4½ oz dark rye flour
- 5 oz rye sourdough starter
- 6½ oz cold water
- 4⅘ cups dark rye flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 5⅓ oz hot water
- 1 TBS caraway seeds
- 1 TBS fennel seeds
- 1 TBS molasses
- 1 TBS honey
DIRECTIONS:
STEP 1:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 4½ oz flour, sourdough starter, honey, molasses and cold water, whisk until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let ferment overnight at room temperature. This is the wet mixture.
STEP 2:
The next day, in a medium bowl, combine 4⅘ oz of flour, caraway seeds, fennel seeds and salt together, whisk to mix evenly. This is the dry mixture.
STEP 3:
Pour the dry mixture over the wet mixture, making sure you entirely cover the wet mixture with the dry. Do not mix yet.
STEP 4:
Carefully pour hot water over the dry mixture. Quickly mix together with a wooden spoon. Don’t give time for the hot water to react with the flour.
STEP 5:
Transfer the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Dip a plastic scraper in water and use to smooth the surface of the dough. Dust the loaf with flour. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours at room temperature.
STEP 6:
About 15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 475°F. Place a cast iron skillet at the bottom of the oven to preheat. Fill a cup with water and set aside.
STEP 7:
When the dough has finished rising, remove plastic wrap. Place the loaf in the preheated oven, pour the reserved cupful of water onto the cast iron skillet and lower the oven temperature to 425°F.
STEP 8:
Bake for 30 minutes or until brown. Remove from the oven, turn the bread out of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.