Scandinavian Rye Bread

This is my go-to bread recipe and I have found it is very adaptable. I've used it to make Dill, Walnut and Chocolate chip, and white loaves. 

Ingredients for Rye Bread

• 175ml full-fat milk
• 175ml water
• 2 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
• 7g fast-action dried yeast
• 250g rye flour
• 200g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tbsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp caraway seeds
• sunflower (or other neutral) oil oil, for greasing

Alternate breads: 

Chocolate Chip Walnut

• Substitute white bread flour for the rye flour
• omit the caraway seeds
• use ½ t. salt
• when kneading for the 2nd prove/rise add in: 
• 50g chopped walnuts 
• 50g chocolate chips.
• The 2nd prove/rise may take longer

Dill

• substitute white bread flour for the rye flour
• use 1T Dill in place of Caraway seeds

Pumpkin

• omit the water
• omit the rye flour
• use 450 g of white bread flour
• add 150 g pumpkin puree
• add 50 g shredded carrot
• add 1 tsp Grand Mariner
• add 1 tsp of orange extract or the zest of one orange
• add 1 tsp cinnamon
• add ½ tsp cardamom
• add ¼ tsp cloves
• add ¼ tsp nutmeg

Wheat 

• substitute wheat flour for the rye flour
• omit the caraway seeds
• use ½ t. salt

White

• substitute white bread flour for the rye flour
• omit the caraway seeds
• use ½ t. salt

Instructions

• Put the milk, water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring constantly, for just a few seconds until the liquid is lukewarm and the sugar has dissolved. 
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl. 
• (Note you can also microwave the milk and water and then add the sugar, or you can add warm water to cold milk to bring it up to temperature. The goal is to get the mixture to just about body temp (96-98F).
• Stir in the yeast and leave for 5-10 minutes until there is a light froth floating on the surface.
• Put all the flour, rye and white, in a large bowl, stir in the salt and caraway seeds, then make a well in the center. 
• Pour the warm yeast mixture on to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon and then your hands to form a soft, spongy dough.
• Turn the dough out on to a well-floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic; or, if you have a stand-mixer, use a dough hook to knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
• Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with oiled cling film/plastic wrap.
• Leave to rise in a warm place for about 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size.
• Put the dough on a floured work surface and knock it back with your knuckles, then knead for another minute.
• Shape the dough into a fat oval, round loaf, or putting it into a loaf tin; pulling the dough from the top and sides and tucking it underneath to make a neat shape.
• For shaped loaves: place the loaf on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, cover it loosely with the oiled cling film/plastic wrap. For bread in a loaf tin: cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap. Leave either type to prove/rise for a further 40–50 minutes until it has doubled in size once more. 
• Once the loaf is done proving/rising a second time, score the top of the loaf 2-4 times. 
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Bake the loaf in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes or until it is well risen and the base sounds hollow when tapped sharply. 
• Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. (This is very important! The bread is still baking during this time. Cutting into it too early can result in an undercooked loaf).

Originally found at: Scandinavian Rye Bread (Hairy Bikers)

Dill Loaf