Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Monday, September 26th - When it rains I bake.... Bread. - Dark Rye Country Loaf

Dark Country Rye Loaf
You know the more traditional saying of what happens when it rains.  Well, when it chucks it down like it did yesterday, and you are happy to resign yourself to 'having' to stay in rather than fighting inertia, I get a burst of energy to bake. Yesterday, was exacerbated by the fact that the Sunday night toon line up on the PVR was horrible.  Ceelo on a musical episode of American Dad?  What were they thinking?

D was complaining the other day that I have too many Flours in the house.  What kind of comment is that?  It's like pointing out that someone has too many Spices or Shoes in the house.  He requested I do something with either my Dark Rye Flour or my Chick Pea Flour.  Well, since D is planning on doing a Bread Salad in a couple of days, I thought I'd bake some bread for it.  As it turns out, I'll have to bake another one, since D says that Rye bread is not neutral enough for the Salad.  Oh well,  more for me with Maple Butter..mmmmmm.  Dark, chewy goodness.  There are not alot of places to get good Rye Bread in Vancouver.  For the most part, you'll find White Bread with Caraway Seeds on top.  Cop out if you ask me.  Although, I miss the Caraway seeds on mine, but the texture and the depth were there. Mine will not rise as high since I use more Rye to AP than other recipes call for.  Still, Yummo!

Dark Rye Country Loaf

1 c warm Water. 
1 1/2 t Yeast
2 t Salt
1/4 c Dark Molasses
1 T Honey
1 1/2 c Rye flour
1 c All Purpose Flour
1 T Olive oil
1 T Caraway Seeds (Optional)

In a small bowl, mix half the Warm Water with the Honey.  Sprinkle over the Yeast and let stand for at least 5 minutes.

In your mixing bowl, mix the other half of the Warm Water with the Molasses.  It will take some coaxing to melt the Molasses off your measuring cup/spoon.  Add the Salt, Oil and stir on low briefly.  Add the Rye Flour (and the Caraway seeds if you have them).  Mix on 2 (on stand mixer) until mostly combined.

Add the Yeast mixture to your mixing bowl.  It is important you do this now and not before.  The Molasses does not play well with the Yeast and you'll just end up with Yeast corpses floating around doing nothing.  Trust me.  Stir briefly.

Add the All Purpose or Bread Flour in half cups and mix in between until mostly combined and the potential for a Flour explosion on full mix are quelled.  Then turn up the mixer to 4-6 for 6-8 minutes.  The dough will come cleanly away from the walls of the bowl and form a ball.

Lift the Dough out and lightly grease the mixing bowl.  Place the Dough back and swirl around to Oil one side and then turn over so oily side is up.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside.  Let rise for 1 hour.

It will rise but not that much.  It will have the texture of childrens' modelling clay.  Fold over a few times and form a loaf.

Place in a lightly greased loaf pan and cover.  Set aside to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Bake for 35 minutes.

Let cool on a rack for 5-10 before cutting if you can.  Sooooo goooood!


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Jen at The Three Little Piglets said...

Popping over from Foodbuzz to say hello! I'm the same exact way - I've got more flour than any normal person could ever use. Every time my husband starts to complain, I walk him out to the garage and remind him how many screwdrivers he has. He gets quiet VERY quickly!