I had some white rye flour in the cupboard and wanted to use it so… I gathered advice from a number of different websites to create this bread. It met my goal of a soft crumb, mild, rye bread with a nice firm crust. (To be fair, I have 20 different flours in my cupboards.)

This is my first attempt at creating (for the most part) a recipe and method to make bread. I am very pleased with the result.

With my first bite, I realized this would make a great template (a breadboard if you will) to experiment with other flours. As I said, I have a few to choose from including rye, whole wheat, pumpernickel and a variety of other wheat flours. This will make for hours and hours of baking enjoyment .

White Rye Rustic Bread

INGREDIENTS
• 384g (3 c) bread or all-purpose flour
• 96g (1 c) white rye flour. (This flour is very dense, so 1 c weighs less that other flours}
• 10g (2 tsp) kosher salt
• 10g (2 tsp) instant yeast
• 9g (1 Tbl) caraway seeds
• 395g (1 ¾ c) lukewarm water
• 42g (2 Tbl) honey (or maple syrup)
• 28g (2 Tbl) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 Tbl Bread and Cake Enhancer

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, instant yeast, and caraway seeds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and the honey until the honey is dissolved.
2. Add to the flour, followed by 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using a rubber spatula or Dutch dough whisk, mix until the liquid is absorbed, and the flour is all moistened and the dough form a sticky mass.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume.
4. Line a brotform with parchment paper. It helps if you crumple the parchment paper into a small ball, then smooth it out and fit it to the brotform.
5. When the dough has doubled, drizzle the remaining 1 Tbl of olive oil over the top and use your hand to rub the oil over the surface to coat. Use your hand again to release the dough from the sides of the bowl, then flip the ball over so that the oil side is down. Pour dough out of bowl onto a lightly floured counter. Form a boule, tensioning the surface as you shape.
6. Preheat the oven and Dutch oven to 400ºF.
7. Place the boule in the parchment paper lined round brotform and let it rise for 45 minutes until the finger punch test indicates it is proofed.
8. Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and bake for 30 minutes,
9. After 30 minutes remove the cover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until internal temperature is 205ºF) or until the top is evenly browned.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and Dutch oven and carefully lift the loaf by the parchment paper out onto a cooling rack.
11. Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.