Baking Great Bread at Home
Perfection is not required
"This is bread you eat with intention. Slice it thin, top it well, and appreciate what 27 hours of patience can give you."— Henry Hunter
Authentic Bread Flavor
Real Danish rye bread without the sourdough fuss. This dense, seeded loaf uses and a long, slow rise to develop serious flavor. Perfect for smørrebrød, it keeps for days and slices thin like the bakery stuff.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Build the Liquid Base
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Combine liquids
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold water, buttermilk, and dark beer. Sprinkle the over the surface and stir until it dissolves completely. This only takes a minute.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Mix Liquids
Mix the Dough
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Add dry ingredients
Add the molasses, salt, cracked rye kernels, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and rye flour to the bowl.
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. or mix for about 10 minutes until everything is fully incorporated and uniform.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Mix Dough
Prepare the Pan
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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.
Fill and Top the Loaf
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Fill the pan
Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula or the back of a spoon.
Add seed topping
Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the surface and press them gently into the dough.
The Long Fermentation
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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.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Long Fermentation
Cool Completely
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Rest in pan
Remove the loaf from the oven and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
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.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Rest in Pan
Cool Completely
Shaping
Shape the Loaf
This is a no-knead pan bread, so shaping is minimal.
Loaf Pan
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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.
Fill the pan
Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula or the back of a spoon.
Add seed topping
Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the surface and press them gently into the dough.
The Final Step
Bake Low and Slow
Rye bread is packed with moisture and dense grains. It needs time to cook all the way through.
Bake on the center rack for 1 hour and 30 minutes until dark brown and crusty.
Equipment: 9x5 inch loaf pan
Preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake
Place the loaf on the center rack and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The top should be dark brown and crusty.
Check temperature
Internal temperature should hit 200-205°F (93-96°C).
Rest in pan
Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
Cool completely
Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, at least 3-4 hours. Slicing it warm will give you gummy slices.
Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
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