{"id":2710,"date":"2022-05-18T07:33:18","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T11:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agooddish.com\/?p=2710"},"modified":"2022-12-18T13:24:07","modified_gmt":"2022-12-18T18:24:07","slug":"love-rye-bread-it-is-easier-than-you-might-imagine-to-make-it-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.agooddish.com\/?p=2710","title":{"rendered":"Love Rye Bread? It Is Easier Than You Might Imagine To Make It Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Homemade seeded rye bread<\/span>
Large blue and white stoneware bowl<\/span>
by Wendy Goldsmith<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love rye bread, especially for toast and sandwiches. It has a specific flavor quite different from the more common wheat breads that derives not just from the rye<\/a> flour but mostly from the caraway seeds<\/a>. It is somewhat sour, somewhat sweet and just mildly salty. It is also one of the easiest yeast breads to make since the texture is dense and not as persnickety as sourdough, challah or sandwich loaves.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Brushing the loaf with lightly beaten egg white<\/span>
makes the crust darker and glossy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Because it is so simple, the quality of your flour is important so it isn\u2019t stale, rancid or devoid of nutrients. Buy fresh rye and wheat flour from good sources (King Arthur<\/a>, Arrowhead Mills and Bob\u2019s Red Mill are widely available but you may have a local (or near local mill) you shop) and keep it in your freezer if you don\u2019t use it up quickly. Here<\/a> is a list of excellent millers. The original of this recipe by Jeanne Heyerly of Chenoa, IL (from a community cookbook called Simply In Season<\/i><\/a>) only called for 1 cup of rye flour in the sponge (the first step in bread making which starts fermentation) and 3 cups of bread flour to be added. Bread flour<\/a> has higher protein than all-purpose so it forms more gluten, resulting in a better rise and texture. I tried to use equal parts whole rye, whole wheat and white flour to have more rye and more whole grain and it was good but quite dense. If you want to add some whole grain, try one cup of whole wheat and see what you think. The tiny amount of sugar is optional but I think the flavor of rye profits from a bit of sweetness. Honey, maple or date syrup, apple juice concentrate or agave are all usable.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Either grinding your own or buying fresh, good quality<\/span>
flour makes a big difference to taste and nutrition<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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The sponge<\/a> is simply some flour, water,<\/span>
caraway seeds and yeast mixed to start fermentation<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Growing up, I used to go shopping with my mother at a grocery store that had an in-store bakery that made fresh rye bread. The bakery women used to give us (kids) a cookie with sprinkles or a candied cherry when we tagged along but the crusty end of the freshly sliced (in those amazing bread slicers I always feared would take off someone\u2019s fingers) rye bread was my preference. I still choose bread over cookies and rye is one of my favorites, especially for avocado toast, smoked salmon, grilled cheese or a bbq tempeh<\/a> Reuben. This recipe makes one big loaf or two smaller loaves, one of which you can freeze for up to a few months.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Because it is moist and dense,<\/span>
this rye bread slices easily<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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I asked a bread-baking phobic friend to try this recipe and she had encouraging results. She used one cup rye and 2 cups whole wheat in her trial and she found she had to add a little more water in order to knead the dough, which was too dry. Her bread was dense but she likes it that way. I am so happy she is optimistic about continuing to bake bread. Whether you use all white bread flour or some combination of flours, I wish you the same results.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Smoked salmon and smashed avocado<\/span>
are both delicious on rye bread or toast<\/span>
Platter by Wendy Goldsmith<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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This bread makes great toast!<\/span>
Platter by Wendy Goldsmith<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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SEEDED RYE BREAD<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sponge:<\/span><\/p>\n

Mix in a large bowl and let stand 3-5 minutes to proof:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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