BBB - Swedish Rye

It's a sad fact that I stand alone in my love of rye bread in our house.  So I was super happy to try out this Buddy recipe and also apprehensive at how the kiddos would receive it.  Well, it was a win!  Hooray!  I did scant the caraway seed by about 25% for the sake of the girls.  I also used white rye to mute the flavor a bit more.  A sacrifice for me but the girls gobbled their sandwiches and 4 year old S even asked for a second one.  My loaf turned out with a tight and springy crumb.  It made great sammies and I had a toad in the hole with it as well.  Yummers!  I know one of the BBB bakers made a gorgeous Reuben with it...  To see the original recipe post go to Paulchen's Foodblog?! to see the Swedish Rye Bread and great step by step pictures.  Here follows the recipe as seen on that post.  (I didn't make my slashes quite deep enough for the vigor of the dough, as you can see, it split lengthwise all along the bottom edge!)  And though the picture doesn't show it well, I love the little bits of orange peel and seeds sprinkled throughout the loaf.

Swedish Rye Bread 

adapted from Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown

Step 1.
3 cups lukewarm water
1 ½ tablespoons dry yeast
1/3 cups honey
1 cup dry milk
grated peel of 2 oranges
2 teaspoons anise seeds
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
4 cups unbleached white flour

Step 2.
4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil
4 cups rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (for kneading)

 Method:  

•  Dissolve the yeast in water. Add the honey and dry milk plus the oranges and seeds 

•  Add the flour to get a thick batter.  Add one cup of flour at a time, stirring well after each addition. The more flour you add the more you need to use a beating motion with your spoon. Best way is to stir up and down in a circular mode from the bottom of the bowl to the surface of the dough. Don’t forget to scrape the sides of the bowl from time to time. After the 4 cups of flour you should have a thick mud-like dough. 

•  Beat well with a spoon (100 strokes).  Continue to beat until you have a smooth dough. Again pull your spoon under the dough and bring it up to the surface again in a circular mode. The batter will be more elastic while you are doing this as more and more air gets incorporated.

•  Let rise for 45 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place.  

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• Fold in the remaining ingredients.  Do not stir! Do not cut through the dough, this will improve the elasticity and strength of the dough.

• Sprinkle on the salt and pour on the oil.  Stir around the side of the bowl working carefully towards the center. Rotate your bowl a little with every stroke. Repeat until all of the salt and oil is incorporated.
• Sprinkle the flour ½ cup at a time onto the dough. Again fold it in while rotating your bowl.
• Continue until the dough comes away from the sides of your bowl.
  Now the dough is ready to give it a good knead!
• Plop your dough on your kneading board and scrape all remains from the bowl onto the dough.  Keep in mind that your surface should be floured enough to prevent the dough from sticking too much on the board.

• Flour your hands and the top of the dough. From the middle of your dough stretch it down and away from you and then fold it back onto the remaining part of the dough. Continue to push down and forward.
• Turn the dough a quarter turn. Again continue with the pushing and folding.
• Turn, fold, push. Rock forward. Twist and fold as you rock back. Be careful not to stretch the dough too much and tear it. Add flour to the boards as needed.
• While you continue with the kneading the dough will become more and more elastic, smooth and shiny.

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• When you are finished, place the dough in your lightly oiled bowl smooth side down, then turn it over so the dough ball is covered lightly with oil. This will prevent the dough from forming a crust on the top while rising.
• Cover the bowl with a damp towel again and set aside to rise in a warm place. (50-60 minutes until doubled in size)
• Punch down your dough with your fists steadily and firmly about 15-20 times.
• Let rise again 40-50 minutes until doubled in size again.
• Preheat your oven at 350°F.
• Turn your dough onto the board again.
• Form the dough into a ball. Cut the dough into two even pieces and form smaller balls again. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Knead the dough and fold it about 5 times, this gives the dough added spring. After the final push turn the dough a quarter turn.
• Roll up the dough into a log shape. Seam at the bottom, flatten the top of the dough. Square the sides and ends. Turn the dough over and pinch the seams all the way.
• Put the dough seam side down into your pan. Press it down into the pan with your fingers.
• Cover and let rise again. This will take 20-25 minutes.
• Cut the top with ½ inch deep slits to allow the steam to escape.
• Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame if you want!
• Bake for about 50-60 minutes.
• Remove from pan to cool down completely.