Easy Homemade Rye Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups dark rye flour
- 2 tablespoons whole caraway seeds
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the warm water and honey, then sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and let it proof for 5 minutes.
- Add the milk, salt, oil, bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, and caraway seeds to the yeast mixture and knead on medium-low speed until the dough starts to come together. I always start with the lower amount of bread and whole wheat flours listed, then add more as needed.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
- When the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer to a clean work surface. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then shape it into a loaf and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let rise for another hour until doubled in size again.
- When the dough is close to being doubled in size, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Slash the dough with a sharp knife to create gashes on top. Open the oven and throw a few ice cubes on the bottom when you place the bread in to bake. This will create steam that will make for a great crust to the bread. Bake for 30 minutes until crusty and golden brown.
Notes
- Rye flour has a lower gluten content than regular flour, so it will typically take a little longer to rise than other loaves.
- I tried the recipe with 1 1/2 cups of bread flour, 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, and 1 1/2 cups of rye flour, but I found it very dense.