Rye Bread

I made this bread two weeks ago and it was really yummy but due to limited time I didn't let it rise quite long enough. Yesterday I had the day off and had plenty of time to let it rise so I tried again and it was even better! The pictures are from my first round two weeks ago so they aren't as pretty as my loaves yesterday.





Dark Rye Bread
(recipe from The Cheese Board Collective Works)

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup medium or dark rye flour
2 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons lukewarm water
1 Tablespoon blackstrap or dark unsulfured molasses

In a small bowl, whisk the yeast into the warm water until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In the a separate large bowl, combine the flours, salt, and caraway seeds.

Add the yeast mixture, lukewarm water, and molasses to the large bowl with the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and a bit shiny.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 3/4 hours, or until doubled in size.

Lightly flour a baking sheet. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into an oval and place on the prepared pan. Using a spray bottle, mist the loaves with water and sprinkle them with flour. Spread the flour smoothly over the tops. Cover with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 12/ hours, or until a finger pressed into the dough leaves an impression.

Fifteen minutes before the bread has finished rising, remove all but the middle rack from the oven. Preheat the oven to 375F. Slash the top of each loaf and wait at least 10 minutes for the slashes to begin to open.

Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the baking sheet front to back to ensure even baking. Bake 20-25 minutes longer, for a total baking time of 40-45 minutes, or until the bread is deep brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool.