Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Danish Rye Bread

I tried my hand at some 'real' Danish rye bread this week.   I had to bake some for the cooking demonstration (still trying to figure out how I got roped into baking the bread in the first place, I must have opened my mouth and volunteered), and decided to bake a practice loaf.

Got the sourdough starter going, letting it sit overnight seems to be the key.    I've actually made two attempts at the bread, both attempts the flavour was very good.   The second attempt, well, the bread just didn't rise as well as the first time I made it.   So, I'm going to make one more batch today, since the demo is tomorrow.   I think the batch I made yesterday is edible, but not great.  So I guess it will be the best one out of two that will be served tomorrow.

The sourdough sponge is easy, and I think is one of the reasons the bread itself has that lovely tang, that means rye bread to me.    The other reason, the buttermilk I use to mix in with the bread.

For starters, make your sponge the day before, or even two days if you can. ( I will add that the longer you let the sponge go, as in up to 5 days, the better the flavor).
 Measure out the rye flour and set aside.  I found out a bag of rye flour, the 850 gram size will yield enough for a large loaf of bread.


Dump the sponge into a mixing bowl, or your Kitchenaid Mixer if you have one, add one cup of flour, and mix together.
 (pardon the picture, but the camera and I aren't that good a friend at 6:30 am).
   Remove from Kitchenaid at this point and knead it just a little with the ¼ cup or so of white flour. Flatten the dough out, and fold over into thirds a couple of times.

This ensures that the dough is mixed and helps it to rise a little when you form it into a loaf or loaves. This will fill 1 regular size loaf pan, or make one large free form loaf. Form and let rise 45 minutes.

( I usually stick them in the oven at this point and let sit, no drafts) Prick with a fork, brush with a mixture of melted butter and water (about 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. water),


and let rise in oven that was preheated to 150 degrees for half an hour. You do need to turn the oven off, and let the loaf sit in there.   Then turn on the oven on to 350 degrees and leave bread to bake for 1 hour on the middle rack.   I wrap the bread in parchment paper and aluminum foil  when I take it out of the oven, it keeps the crust from getting too hard.


Let cool, and cut in very thin slices to serve. I like this bread the best the next day, it seems to get better when it has had a chance to sit.

If you have a sourdough starter already, go ahead and use that. The flavor will increase tremendously.


yield: 1 loafprint recipe

Rye Bread One

prep time: 30 MINScook time: 1 hour and 30 MINStotal time: 1 hours and 60 mins
Rye bread is almost literally the staff of life to Danes. We eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner sometimes. It's the base for our Smørrebrød or open face sandwiches. This is a multi-day recipe. Start the sourdough a couple of days before you need it.

INGREDIENTS:

Sponge or sourdough starter
  • 3/4 cup white flour
  • 1/4 cup rye flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 pkg. yeast
  • 1 scant tsp. sugar
Dough
  • 1 portion sponge/sourdough starter
  • 850 gram Rye Flour, (approx 5-6 cups)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk +1cup room temperature Buttermilk
  • 1 package yeast
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix the sourdough starter/sponge ingredients together in a larger bowl than you think you need, this stuff expands and will creep out of a small bowl and start walking across the counter if you don't. 
  2. Let this sit at room temperature for a couple of days, stirring it the second day. 
  3. Mix together the 1/4 cup buttermilk, yeast and sugar, let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to bloom.
  4. Pour the sponge into a mixing bowl, or your Kitchenaid Mixer if you have one, add one cup of  rye flour, and mix together.  . Add the new yeast mixture, and mix til it's incorporated, then add the remainder of the room temperature buttermilk.   Mix, and add some of the flour, let the dough hook in your machine do the work, or just use your wooden spoon and muscles to mix it in.  
  5. Keep adding the flour until the dough reaches a stiff consistency.  You may not need all of it.  Remove the dough from the Kitchenaid at this point and knead it just a little with the ¼ cup or so of white flour. Flatten the dough out, and fold over into thirds a couple of times. This ensures that the dough is mixed and helps it to rise a little when you form it into a loaf or loaves. This will fill 1 regular size loaf pan, or make one large free form loaf. 
  6. Form and let rise 45 minutes. ( I usually stick them in the oven at this point and let sit, no drafts) Prick with a fork, brush with a mixture of melted butter and water (about 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. water), and let rise in oven that was preheated to 150 degrees(or the lowest setting on your oven)  for half an hour.  You do need to turn the oven off, and let the loaf sit in there.  
  7.  Then turn on the oven on to 350 degrees and leave bread to bake for 1 hour on the middle rack. Take out of oven, then wrap the bread in parchment paper and aluminum foil, while still warm, this  keeps the crust from getting too hard. Let cool, and cut in very thin slices to serve. I like this bread the best the next day, it seems to get better when it has had a chance to sit. If you have a sourdough starter already, go ahead and use that. The flavor will increase tremendously.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

2 comments:

  1. I like how you use buttermilk in your Rugbrød (Rye bread), it looks delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like the tang the buttermilk gives the bread. Of course I'm still trying to perfect it. I'm going to try your recipe next.

    ReplyDelete

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