Food 2020 - Recipes (Easy Seeded Rye Bread)

[smtfhw]

I'd been hunting around for a good rye loaf recipe, preferably similar to the sort of bread found in Germany, but I could only find sourdough recipes while digging around. We have enough animals in this house without acquiring a sourdough starter as well! Frustrated I turned to Denmark and to Claus Meyer again and found this fabulous recipe.

A few provisos first though:

• If you have loose fillings the crunchy crust on this may well do for them completely...
• As regards the verious seeds - if you can't find toasted sesame seeds, or roasted salted sunflower seeds, you can buy "plain" ones and create your own. The sesame seeds will take about 3-5 minutes in a dry frying pan over a medium heat - do not turn your back on them or they WILL burn. I also did the sunflower seeds in the same pan afterwards and then tossed salt over them. Let them cool before using if you have time, but it's not essential. I could only get milled flaxseeds, but I suspect unmilled ones would be even better.
• Cracked rye seems to be widely available in the UK, but I got mine from a Scandinavian food shop in London. Many of the independent flour mills also seem to sell it.
• As regards the setting around for three hours until the temperature of the dough is 23°C, I ignored that in favour of a 40°C oven for 3 hours which I find works for proving most doughs. It doesn't rise much but it will rise slightly in the fridge.
• Yes, the measurements are weird - but that's because this was an American version of the recipe and everything was in cups, FFS! So I spent some time "translating" them to meaningful measurements. I mean, what is the point of cups?!

The recipe description says: "This dense, extra-seedy rye bread from Danish chef Claus Meyer is incredibly moist. It sits beautifully at room temperature for a few days and is the perfect thick, crusty piece of bread to use for your avocado toast." I have never eaten avocado toast in my life, and I don't intend to start now, because I don't like avocados. I will agree that this bread toasts beautifully, though if you try and make a toasted sandwich in a sandwich toaster you will end up with something delicious but wildly crumbly!

Easy Seeded Rye Bread
Ingredients:

• 204g rye flour, preferably organic
• 136g whole-wheat flour
• 112g cracked rye
• 96g flaxseeds
• 64g roasted salted sunflower seeds
• 48g toasted sesame seeds
• 250mls cold water
• 100mls buttermilk
• 77mls dubbel-style Belgian beer, such as Chimay Première
• 1/2 tablespoon flaky sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• Oil or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing

Method:

1. In a large bowl, whisk both of the flours with the cracked rye and the flax, sunflower and sesame seeds.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the water with the buttermilk, beer, salt and yeast at low speed until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix at medium-low speed until incorporated and the dough is the consistency of a thick cake batter, about 10 minutes.
3. Lightly grease a 9-by-4-inch loaf pan and fill it with the dough; smooth the top of the dough with a spatula. Your loaf pan will have about 1300g of dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, at least 12 hours or up to 6 days.
4. Remove the loaf pan from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature in a warm place until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the dough reads 23°C, about 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Unwrap the dough and bake for 2 hours, until the crust is a deep brown.
5. Transfer the loaf pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

Make Ahead:

• The rye bread can be wrapped in foil and kept at room temperature for up to 1 week.