A recipe for Caraway Rye bread was posted a few weeks
ago. I've baked the bread twice so far and I must say
that it is the best bread I've ever eaten. I
neglected to capture the name of the person who posted
it but the recipe is reproduced below if you missed
it. I used regular buttermilk and proceeded to
mix the sponge right away. I also added 1 tablespoon
of King Arthur's deli rye flavor. I only very lightly
hand kneaded the dough and left it sticky. The
recipe made one very large loaf in my new rye bread
pan I ordered from King Arthur and one smaller loaf.
Don't omit the egg wash - it made the crust a
beautiful color. Thank you for the great recipe.
>Since I have had numerous requests for this bread I
will enter the recipe here. This is a slight
modification of a Gold Metal Flour recipe from the
1940s and, more recently, from the cookbook "The
Village Baker" by Joe Ortiz.
CARAWAY RYE BREAD
THE MILK SOUR
1 C rye flour
1 1/2 C goats milk or high fat buttermilk.
(I use raw goats milk because I leave the rye
sour out on the counter overnight to develop a slight
sour taste. Pasteurized milk will spoil but not truly
sour as raw will do. If you want a very sour taste
then leave the rye sour out on the counter for a
couple of days.)
THE RYE SPONGE
2 1/2 t active dry yeast
1 1/3 c warm spring water (110-115 F)
All of the milk sour
2 C unbleached bread flour - not all purpose flour
THE DOUGH
All the rye sponge
1 T salt
2 t molasses or honey
3/4 C warm spring water
6 T caraway seeds (2T ground & 4T whole)
balance unbleached bread flour (5 to 6 cups)
THE GLAZE
1 egg whisked with 2 T milk
To make the rye sour, combine the milk with the rye
flour and mix very well. Cover and leave out on the
counter as long as you desire. See explanation
above. I have skipped a waiting period here and
combined the milk sour with the rye sponge ingredients
at the same time with satisfactory results.
To make the rye sponge, proof the yeast in the warm
water. When it is thoroughly dissolved pour it and
the milk sour into a large bowl. Mix in the
flour and stir well. Let the sponge sit, covered with
a damp cloth, at room temperature for 3 1/2 to 4 hours
until it has risen well and dropped.
To make the dough, dissolve the molasses or honey in
the warm water in a separate container. Stir down the
rye sponge and sprinkle the salt over it. Add the
sweetener and caraway and mix until well combined.
Now start adding the flour until the dough cleans the
sides of the bowl and is no longer sticky. Transfer
the dough to the work table and knead for about ten
minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from
sticking to the work surface. Cover the dough with a
damp cloth to prevent drying and let it rise for 50-60
minutes. Punch the dough down and divide into two
loaves or, if you want a very large loaf, leave it in
one piece. Let dough sit on the worktable, covered,
for ten minutes. This step will relax the dough and
make it more pliable for forming.
To form the loaves flatten the dough with a rolling
pin then fold it over itself away from you. Square
the edges by pushing the ends an inch or so toward the
middle. Then roll into a tight log, sealing at each
turn with the heel of your hand. Square the ends off
and place each loaf, seam side down, on rimless
baking sheet which has been lightly oiled and
sprinkled with polenta (coarse cornmeal).
Pre-heat oven to 415F. Let loaves proof for 30-40
minutes. When the dough fails to spring back quickly
when touched lightly with the fingertip it is ready.
To attain a nice oven spring it is better to bake it a
few minutes early than late. When loaves are ready
brush the glaze on the tops and sides of each
loaf and then slash 6-7 times across with a razor
blade, starting from half way up one side and ending
half way down the other. Sprinkle the top lightly with
polenta. Prior to placing the loaves in the oven
spray water into the oven with a spray bottle,
avoiding the oven light which may shatter. Bake the
loaves for about 35 minutes, spraying the oven again
after the first 5 minutes and again after ten minutes.
This will give the loaves a crisp crust. Unless your
oven has evenly distributed heat you may want to turn
the baking sheet around half way through the baking to
assure even browning. The loaves are done when they
sound hollow when thumped on the bottom or when they
have an internal temperature of 190F or above.