Rye Bread With Caraway Seeds

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Proving Time:: 2 hrs 15 mins

Total: 3 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 20 servings

Rye bread, with its slight tang, has a flavor profile all its own. Whereas "white bread" has become a term synonymous with "ordinary" or "plain," "rye bread" promises all the complexities of a heartier grain.

Rye breads would be too heavy if made entirely of rye flour, so the addition of whole-wheat flour lightens the loaf. Sometimes rye breads are made with a sourdough starter, but this simple recipe foregoes a starter, which can take weeks to produce. If you don’t like caraway seeds, omit them from the recipe.

This bread goes great with Dill Pickle Soup. And here are leftover rye bread recipes.

«With so much rye flour, this bread was somewhat dense, but the flavor was excellent. The texture was a bit less dense and lighter when I added 4 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten with the rye flour.» —Diana Rattray

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk, scalded

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water

• 4 cups (452 grams) rye flour

• 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten, optional

• 2 1/2 cups (298 grams) whole wheat flour

• 2 tablespoons caraway seeds, optional

• 1 large egg white, beaten

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a heatproof large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, pour scalded milk over butter, sugar, and salt. Stir and cool.

3. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.

4. Add softened yeast, 3 cups rye flour, and vital wheat gluten (if using) to the milk mixture. Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, or by hand, beat thoroughly. Add the remaining rye flour and beat again until flour is thoroughly combined.

5. Scrape dough out into a clean, greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes, or follow this quick tip to cut the rise time.

6. Scrape dough back into clean stand mixer bowl and, using the dough hook, knead in the whole-wheat flour and caraway seed, if using, until dough is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. (Alternatively, the kneading can be done by hand on a well-floured surface.)

7. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 oblong or round loaves. Place loaves on parchment-lined or greased baking sheets. (Bread can also be placed in greased 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans or 9-inch-round cake pans.)

8. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

9. Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 F. Brush the loaves with beaten egg white. Slash the loaves in several places with a sharp knife.

10. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaves registers 200 F.

11. Remove from the oven and cool completely on wire racks.

How to Store Rye Bread

• It is important to allow the loaves to cool completely before cutting into them, otherwise the crumb can become gummy.
• Place completely cooled rye bread in an airtight container or food storage bag and store it at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• To freeze rye bread, wrap the whole loaf of slices in foil and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Label with the name and date and freeze the bread for up to 3 months.

Tips

• If a more tender crust is desired, brush loaves with melted butter 5 minutes before removing from the oven.
• For lighter loaves, replace some or all of the whole wheat flour with bread flour.
• Use leftover rye bread to make breadcrumbs or croutons for casseroles and salads.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories	154
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g	3%
Saturated Fat 1g	6%
Cholesterol 14mg	5%
Sodium 122mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 29g	10%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 41mg	3%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 173mg	4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.