Crust & Crumb Academy · Sourdough
Danish Rye Bread
Dense, seeded loaf with deep malty flavor – perfect for smørrebrød
Ingredients
| Grams | Volume | Ingredient | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Base | |||
| 360 ml | 1½ cups | cold water | |
| 180 ml | ¾ cup | buttermilk | |
| 120 ml | ½ cup | dark beer (stout or porter) | |
| Leavening & Flavor | |||
| 7 g | 2¼ teaspoons | {{Instant yeast}} | |
| 1 tablespoon | 1 tablespoon | molasses or dark syrup | |
| 20 g | 1 tablespoon | coarse salt | |
| Grains & Seeds | |||
| 150 g | 1 cup | cracked rye kernels (rye chops) | |
| 50 g | ⅓ cup | flaxseeds | |
| 100 g | ¾ cup | sunflower seeds | |
| 400 g | 3 cups | whole-grain rye flour | |
| For the Pan | |||
| 2 tablespoons | 2 tablespoons | neutral oil (for greasing) | |
| 3 tablespoons | 3 tablespoons | poppy seeds or sesame seeds (for coating) | |
Process
1
Combine liquids
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold water, buttermilk, and dark beer. Sprinkle the instant yeast over the surface and stir until it dissolves completely. This only takes a minute.
2
Add dry ingredients
Add the molasses, salt, cracked rye kernels, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and rye flour to the bowl.
3
Mix thoroughly
Stir everything together with a sturdy wooden spoon or use a stand mixer with a dough hook. The dough will be thick, sticky, and more like a wet batter than traditional bread dough. Kneading or mix for about 10 minutes until everything is fully incorporated and uniform.
4
Oil and seed the pan
Lightly oil a large loaf pan (9x5 inch works well, or a traditional Pullman pan). Pour your poppy seeds or sesame seeds into the pan and roll them around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Dump out any excess seeds and save them for topping.
5
Fill the pan
Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula or the back of a spoon.
6
Add seed topping
Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the surface and press them gently into the dough.
7
Cover and rest
Cover the pan loosely with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature (around 68-72°F / 20-22°C) for 24 hours.
8
Preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
9
Bake
Place the loaf on the center rack and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The top should be dark brown and crusty. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should hit 200-205°F (93-96°C).
10
Rest in pan
Remove the loaf from the oven and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
11
Cool on rack
Turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 3-4 hours. Slicing it warm will give you gummy, compressed slices.
12
Oil and seed the pan
Lightly oil a large loaf pan (9x5 inch works well, or a traditional Pullman pan). Pour your poppy seeds or sesame seeds into the pan and roll them around to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
13
Fill the pan
Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula or the back of a spoon.
14
Add seed topping
Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the surface and press them gently into the dough.
15
Preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
16
Bake
Place the loaf on the center rack and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The top should be dark brown and crusty.
17
Check temperature
Internal temperature should hit 200-205°F (93-96°C).
18
Rest in pan
Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
19
Cool completely
Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, at least 3-4 hours. Slicing it warm will give you gummy slices.
Baker's Percentages
cold water
90%
buttermilk
45%
dark beer (stout or porter)
30%
Instant yeast
2%
molasses or dark syrup
0%
coarse salt
5%
📐 Learn How Baker's % Works →Henry's Tip
Yes! Replace the yeast with 150g active sourdough starter. Increase fermentation time to 36-48 hours. The flavor will be even more complex.
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