Description
This is an amazingly easy and delicious rye bread for those of us who either don't have a bread machine or who downright fear bread making. (both, in my case) but "artisan bread in five minutes a day" changed all that for me. The 5 minutes refers to active effort. Mix the ingredients into a container all at once, then let it sit for 2 hours. Make immediately or store in the fridge, using it over the next couple of weeks. This recipe makes four 1-pound loaves and is great on the first day, but even better on subsequent days. Along with the caraway seeds, which give this bread its classic flavor, what sets this rye apart from other rustic loaves is that there is no flour on the top crust; instead it's glazed with a cornstarch wash, which serves the triple function of anchoring the caraway seeds, allowing the slashing knife to pass easily without sticking, and giving the loaf a beautiful shine. Easily doubled or halved. Don't let the wordiness of the steps discourage you; it's just really detailed. For ease and best results, use a pizza peel and a pizza or baking stone.
Ingredients
- Water
- Granulated Yeast
- Salt
- Caraway Seeds
- Rye Flour
- Unbleached All-purpose Flour
- Cornmeal
- Cornstarch