Rye Loaf

Rye Loaf

70% hydration, 2.5 hr, 2lb tin, makes 1

Ingredients

dark rye flour      250g
strong white flour  250g
warm water          350ml
mixed seeds         50g
honey               1 tbsp
caraway seeds       1 tbsp
instant yeast       7g
salt                10g

50/50 rye and white gives real rye flavour with enough lift to rise. Push the rye higher for a darker, denser loaf.
Caraway is the classic deli-rye note and pairs with the salmon and dill. Leave it out for a cleaner loaf, or swap a spoon of treacle for the honey to go darker.

Recipe

1. Mix the dry, yeast on one side, salt on the other:

[dark rye 250g, strong white flour 250g, mixed seeds 50g, caraway 1 tbsp, yeast 7g, salt 10g]

Add the warm water and honey and mix to a sticky, rough dough.

2. Knead 8 minutes. Rye is sticky and won’t go as smooth or stretchy as white, that is normal, resist adding much flour.

3. Cover and rise 1 hour. Rye rises slower and less than white, so don’t expect it to double.

4. Shape and drop into an oiled 2lb tin, scatter seeds on top. Prove 45 minutes.

5. Bake at 220°C for 40/45 minutes until deep brown and hollow-sounding underneath.

6. Cool completely before slicing, ideally rest a day. The crumb sets as it cools, cut it warm and it goes gummy.

Sourdough version: swap the yeast for 100g active starter and hold back 40ml water. Prove longer, 3/4 hours, or overnight in the fridge.

❄ Freezer
Freeze: whole or sliced, in a bag.
Reheat: whole, from frozen into a hot oven 10/15 min. Sliced: toast from frozen.
Keeps: 3 months frozen, 4/5 days in the bread bin.