This homemade rye bread is light and soft on the inside with a crunchy crust. Make it with or without cumin. Great for Reuben sandwiches, grilled cheese and more!
For as long as I have known my friend George, he has been a keen bread baker. When I visited his home in Carlisle, Massachusetts, he would often have a freshly baked rye bread for us to enjoy.
Once, when George was visiting my family in Carmichael, I put him to work and showed me how he makes his rye bread.
Rye bread is simply bread made from rye flour. Rye has an earthy flavor and if you use more or less of it in combination with other flours, a loaf will give it more or less that flavor. Rye bread is often made with additives like molasses and cocoa powder that add color and flavor. Cumin can also be added for an even more distinctive taste.
While you can make a loaf out of 100% rye, it tends to be quite dense and heavy. For a lighter bread with good rye flavor, mix rye flour with bread flour, which helps create better gluten structure in the dough.
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As for George’s special bread? It was wonderful. Lightly seasoned, soft on the inside, with a crispy crust. My dad doesn’t like cumin so they were left out. I love them so next time I bake this bread go inside.
What is the best way to learn how to bake bread? hands on!
I don’t think you can easily learn how to bake bread by reading about it.
It really helps to pick it up and learn directly from someone who can say, “See? That’s the right consistency for the dough.” Baking bread simply takes practice. The more bread you bake, the better you get at it.
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Ways to Enjoy Rye Bread
For a good beetroot sandwich or a classic liverwurst sandwich with pickled onions, rye should not be missing. It’s the perfect bread for a grilled cheese sandwich.
Do you have leftover rye bread that’s going stale? Make them into breadcrumbs and freeze them to use later. You can sprinkle them over salads, casseroles, or this Hot Reuben Dip.
Store and freeze rye bread
Rye bread will keep for several days at room temperature if stored in a paper bag. To extend its lifespan by a few days, wrap it in a plastic bag instead.
Rye bread also freezes very well. Wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then store it in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in the oven to taste.
Do you love to bake bread? Try these recipes
- whole wheat bread
- Homemade potato bread
- Anadama bread
- Focaccia bread with rosemary
- Irish whole wheat bread
Homemade rye bread
ingredients
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2 Packages dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons or 16 grams)
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2 1/2 cups warm water (barely lukewarm)
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2/3 Cup molasses (regular, NOT blackstrap)
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2 tablespoon Caraway seeds (Optional)
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1 tablespoon Salt
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1/4 Cup vegetable oil
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1/4 Cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
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2 cups rye flour
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5 cups bread flour
method
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Dissolve yeast:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the molasses. Place yeast mixture in a large metal bowl.
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make dough:
Add cumin, salt, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, 2 cups rye flour, then 2 cups bread flour, mixing into the yeast mixture after each addition with a wooden spoon.
Add more bread flour, cup by cup, until the batter is no longer so sticky and is too hard to mix with the wooden spoon. At this point, spread out 1/2 cup of flour on a large, clean, flat surface and place the dough on the surface.
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Knead the dough:
Knead the dough by pressing down with the heel of your hand, stretching, rotating the dough a quarter turn, pulling the dough back toward you, and then pressing and stretching again. Knead more bread flour into the dough until it reaches the right consistency. Knead 5-7 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
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Let the dough rise:
Spread some vegetable oil in a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat it with the oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
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Divide the dough:
Gently press the risen dough to release some air. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, knead a few turns and then cut in half with a sharp knife.
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Shape loaves:
Shape each half into a loaf. Place dough loaves in either oiled 8×4-inch loaf pans or on a flat baking sheet or dish that has been sprinkled with cornmeal, depending on whether you plan to bake the loaves in pans or directly on a baking stone. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth.
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Rise breads:
Let the bread rise again, this time not doubling in volume, but about half its volume, about 30 to 45 minutes, half the time of the first rising. If using a loaf pan, the dough should extend past the top of the loaf pan.
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Fire up the oven:
If using a brick, place the brick in the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F for at least half an hour before baking.
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Bake breads:
If you’re baking on a stone rather than in a pan, score the loaves a few times on top of the dough before placing in the oven.
Put loaves in the oven. If you have an atomizer, spray the batter with a little water for the first 10 minutes of baking. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until done. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 185 | calories |
| 3g | Fat |
| 35g | carbohydrates |
| 5g | protein |
