Okay, 5 weeks down and only 47 more to go in my personal challenge to make a new bread recipe every week for a year. This weeks bread, George’s light Rye Bread Recipe found on Simply Recipes, is my first ever experience using rye flour in my baking. Upon opening my bag of rye flour I realized that rye flour really is different from wheat flour. FYI, Rye is a grain but the flour is a lot more course than wheat flours, almost more like the consistency of corn meal.
This recipe included a bit of cocoa for added flavor and color and while mixing all the ingredients I was so excited by the yummy cocoa smell. It isn’t often that my bread loaves smell like chocolate. The recipe makes 2 loaves of good size. The top of the crust came out nice and crispy while the inside of the loaf was soft and dense.The slightly sour flavor of this bread was so great with everything I threw at it. Toasted and buttered? So good. Peanut butter and jelly? Yes, Yes, Yes. Turkey with tomatoes, cucumbers and hummus? O.M.G.
Seriously though this bread slices perfectly, toasts beautifully and adds such a nice rye flavor to anything you use it for. Best of all, even though we have finished off a loaf of light rye bread, I know I still have another loaf just waiting to be devoured.
It took me about 25-30 minutes of hands on time to mix, knead, and shape this loaf. From beginning to end this bread takes about 3 1/2 hours. Here is where I make a confession, during my second rise, I completely forgot about the bread and let it rise for about twice as long as the recipe calls for, therefore making my actual beginning to end time longer than 3 1/2 hours. I actually think this little mind slip helped to develop even more delicious flavor.
The recipe is well written and even includes photographs every step of the way. The only ingredient that you may not have in your kitchen is the rye flour and since this bread can be baked in loaf pans, as I did, or free form it is a very beginner friendly recipe.
While I opted to leave the caraway seeds out of our loaves because I am not a big fan of whole caraway seeds, this bread could be modified with several different spices and added flavors. On top of rustic sliced bread or bread for sandwiches and toast I think this bread would be great made into dinner rolls or buns. All of the amazing flavor, versatility, and the great recipe of this bread come together to make for a bread I absolutely plan to make again. Ladies and gentleman George’s Light Rye Bread Recipe is a keeper.Whoever you are George, I think I We love you. And I think you will too, seriously make this bread it is yummy.
Flavor: 5
Hands on time: 4
Total time: 2
Recipe: 4
versatility: 5
make it again: 5
Catherine: 1
Luke: 1
Maddy: 1
Total Score: 28
(How we score)
4 comments
thats a great goal, homemade bread! maybe not one a week but one would be awesome. I do pizza dough each week though.
can't wait to meet you at bloggybootcamp!
This sounds like a perfect recipe for me to try as my first bread recipe. I may even try to make it into rolls.
Did you have any trouble finding rye flour or would you expect to find it at any grocery store? My grocery store is definitely lacking in the bakin aisle but I have never looked for rye flour.
i have to say, i am intrigued by this. i don't know that i have ever even eaten rye bread. i do know that i don't like caraway seed, so i would leave those out, too.
I love rye bread, but I'm way too poor of a cook to be able to make it myself. Yours turned out fabulous looking.