Better Home & Garden's Caraway Rye Bread

This is now our rye bread. I found the recipe in my BH&G cookbook. It is now online at Caraway-Rye Bread. It is the simplest and least complicated recipe that I have found. I get caraway seeds at the C&C ($4 for 7.75 oz. from the Nutmeg Spice Company in Connecticut, available at almost all the village stores here), which I mention because it was nearly impossible to find caraway seeds in New Hampshire except at the health food store! I reduce the temperature for 350°F and use glass pans. I still have a problem finding rye flour. I have to drive into St. Johnsbury for it! I use our normal instant yeast (one King Arthur yeast measuring spoon, which equals one package of yeast at the store). I use only 4 cups of flour and bake until the loaves are 190°F. The photo here is mine in my kitchen. Tip: you may want the entire KAF yeast set. The only problems I have with it are that the entire package of yeast does not fit into the container. Also, the yeast spoon does not fit into the container. Even so, I just jam it in there to keep the spoon with the yeast in the fridge all the time. Most importantly, I use our standing mixer for all of my bread. Enjoy! 

Makes: 24 servings
Yield: 2 loaves (24 slices)
Prep: 40 mins
Rise: 1 hr 30 mins
Bake: 375°F 30 mins

Ingredients
4 - 4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (120°F to 130°F)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups rye flour
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Cornmeal
2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together 2-3/4 cups of the bread flour and the yeast. Add warm water, brown sugar, oil, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in rye flour, caraway seeds, and as much of the remaining bread flour as you can.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining bread flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).

3. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.

4. Shape dough by gently pulling each portion into a ball, tucking edges under. Place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten each dough round slightly to about 6 inches in diameter. (Or, shape each dough half into a loaf shape by patting or rolling. Place in two greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.) If desired, lightly score top of bread with a sharp knife. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (30 to 45 minutes).

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush tops of loaves with milk. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top and sides are deep golden brown and bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from baking sheet (or pans). Cool on wire racks. 6. Makes 2 loaves (24 slices).

From the test kitchen
Variation Peasant Rye Bread: Prepare as above, except reduce rye flour to 1 cup. Stir in 1/4 cup whole bran cereal and 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal with rye flour.

Nutrition Facts (Caraway-Rye Bread)
Servings Per Recipe 24, Calories 126, Protein (gm) 4, Carbohydrate (gm) 24, Fat, total (gm) 2, Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 2, Sugar, total (gm) 3, Thiamin (mg) 0, Riboflavin (mg) 0, Niacin (mg) 2, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0, Folate (µg) 44, Sodium (mg) 148, Potassium (mg) 63, Calcium (DV %) 10, Iron (DV %) 1, Starch () 2, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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