Course: Main
Servings: 1 loaf
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- Milk - 175 grams
- Water - 175 grams
- Brown sugar - 2 tbsp (or Molasses)
- Easy blend instant yeast - 1 sachet
- Rye flour - 250 grams
- Strong white bread flour - 200 grams (plus extra to dust)
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
- Caraway seeds - 1 tsp
- Oil - (to grease baking tray)
Instructions:
- In a small pan heat the milk, water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved, allow to cool it needs to be luke warm between 28-35°c. I always use the microwave to do this as it only takes about a minute.
- When it's cool enough mix in the yeast.
- In a large bowl mix the flours, salt and seeds.
- Pour the yeasty milk and water over the flour and stir to combine. I like to do this with my hands, be warned it looks and feels more like a paste than a dough.
- Once it is well combined, cover with either cling film or a damp cloth.
- After twenty minutes give it a quick knead, well it's more of a gentle push and prod really. Keep your hands wet as the cement/dough is very claggy. Any builders may ask you for the quantities as it looks more like something that that should grace a building site.
- Leave for another 20 mins and give the dough another short knead. Repeat this after another rest of 20 mins.it will begin to feel more like a dough as time goes on.
- Now leave the covered dough somewhere warm to proof till it has doubled in size, this should take between 60 to 90 mins. My son takes a before and after photo on his phone so that he can judge the rise.
- Carefully tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape your dough into a thick baton.
- Gently lift the shaped loaf onto an oiled, or parchment lined, heavy baking sheet.
- Pre heat the oven to 200°c/ 180°c fan.
- Leave for another hour for its final rise.
- Make several slashes with a sharp blade, a baker's lame or serrated knife.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 40mins, check after 30 though.- if you're using a probe thermometer you're looking for an internal temperature of 93°c.
- Leave on a cooling tray and try to wait at least 20 mins before trying the bread. I usually make double as the rest of the family seem to materialise out of thin air as soon as I take the bread put of the oven.