Rye Bread - the Real Stuff
Estimated Nutritional Profile
| Nutrient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Protein (g) | - |
| Energy (kCal) | - |
| Carbohydrates (g) | - |
| Total fats (g) | - |
-
Cuisine
European >> Scandinavian >> Swedish
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Dietary Style
- Source
Temporal Sequence of Cooking Processes
Early Stage
Middle Stage Processes
Late Stage
Utensils Used
| 1. This is the way to make a real rye bread (as opposed to a bread containing rye flour). | 2. I have deliberately not given any measures. | 3. Firstly, I don't know, secondly, you can't make a proper bread if you simply measure up things and mix them together. | 4. Instead you need to produce a dough that feels right- don't worry, it's easy. | 5. First make a sour dough starter. | 6. Simply mix some flour- one or two cups- with water to make a thick, but rather runny paste. | 7. Put salt on top to stop it moulding, put a lid on and place it in a nice, warm place, eg on a radiator. | 8. Note: This procedure won't succeed if there are no natural yeasts and acid bacteria in the flour or the air. | 9. I have never had a problem, but who knows how things are where you live. | 10. After a few days it will be foaming and have a sour smell; I personally find the smell rather foul, but that's the way it should be, as long as it is sour and not turning any strange colour or getting mouldy. | 11. When the starter is ready, mix it with some lukewarm water. | 12. If you made your starter with one cup of flour, use~1 pint of water now. | 13. Add some salt. | 14. At this point you can add some 'roughage' too, like soaked, whole rye kernels or whatever. | 15. As the last step begin adding rye flour while mixing until the dough is firm enough to hand-knead. | 16. Tip it out on a floured table and continue adding flour and kneading until you feel the dough is 'right': when it doesn't stick too much to everything. | 17. Put it in a baking tin and leave it to rise; this can take quite a long time, maybe 8 hours. | 18. If you let it rise too long, it can turn very sour, but I usually leave for 4- 8 hours. | 19. Finally bake it at perhaps 125- 150 degrees Centigrade- haven't got a clue what it is in Fahrenheit, but it's not very warm. | 20. It should bake for at least 2 hours and the door should not be fully closed. | 21. It is a good idea to spray the bread with water from time to time to ensure that the crust doesn't separate from the rest of the bread. | 22. This bread will often be very sticky inside when it is fresh. | 23. The best things to do about it (in my opinion) is to allow the bread to settle- dry out a bit, basically- for a day or two. | 24. Some people add some wheat flour to the recipe, but that's cheating if you ask me. | 25. One thing that gives this bread a very nice taste is malt. | 26. Another thing: horses are crazy about rye bread! | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------