WELLNESS WEDNESDAY
100% Rye Bread
I am such fan of rye! Rye rusks and rye bread are apart of my daily fuel. 100% Rye isn't for everyone and that is fine too. If you want to just sub half of the rye flour for your own choice and make it a 50% rye bread. Everyone's been baking banana breads in this lockdown period but I promise you this is even better AND lower in calories, high in fiber as well!
I topped my bread off with some cocoa macadamia butter which tastes just like chocolate, amazing stuff! Almond butter, peanut butter or even normal butter would go so well with this healthy carb!
What you'll need:
1 ¾ cups + 3 Tablespoons warm water 2 ¼ teaspoons package active dry yeast 4 cups rye flour 1 ¾ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional) 3 Tablespoons molasses 1 Tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions:
1) Activate the yeast
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the warm water and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes so the yeast activates.
2) Whisk together the dry ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the dark rye flour, salt and cream of tartar until well incorporated.
3) Whisk together the flavor building ingredients
In another medium mixing bowl, whisk together the molasses, sugar, caraway seeds, espresso powder and stir until just combined. Whisk in the warm water and yeast mixture from Step 1.
4) Mix the dough
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl containing the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon in one circular direction for 1 minute. Now stir in the opposite direction for 1 minute.
5) Coat the rye dough with oil
Add about 1 Tablespoon olive oil to another medium mixing bowl and spread it around the inside with your fingers. Use a spatula to scrape the dough into the oily bowl. With dampened fingers, form the dough into a ball and rotate it around in the inside of the bowl so it's coated in oil.
6) Let the dough rise
I only let the dough rise overnight, but it doesn't make a real big difference. Rye bread is really dense, especially with this recipe. So you can put it in the oven if you're really eager for some ryeness!
7) Bake the rye bread to perfection
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. During the baking process, the dough will rise another 10% to 20% of it's intended size in the process known as 'oven spring'. Rotate the loaf 180 degrees in the oven halfway through the baking duration for even baking. Bake your bread for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when the loaf pan is tapped with a blunt object like a rolling pin.
Let your bread cool off and enjoy it!
Pictures: Lara Jonker Photography