Rye flour has a reputation of being difficult to work with, especially in breads with a high proportion of it. Rye has less gluten than wheat, and the gluten is more delicate. The chemical makeup of rye also makes the dough sticky and hard to work with, plus the finished bread can be gummy. Still, the flavor of a well-made loaf of rye bread is worth a little extra effort if you’re a rye fan like me.
This recipe uses the bread machine for kneading and the first rise, which avoids the stickiness problem by letting the machine do the work. This bread has 31% rye flour, along with 17% whole wheat flour to add a little extra character. The molasses adds color and a little sweetness, while the powdered milk and butter soften the crumb and help the bread stay fresh longer.
Be sure and let the dough rise high enough before baking to avoid the bread splitting when it expands in the oven. And let the finished bread cool thoroughly before slicing. It slices even better the next day.
NOTE: The recipe calls for using an 8-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ loaf pan, which produces a loaf that is about as tall as it is wide. Use a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan to get a loaf that is wider than it is tall, and when proofing allow the dough to rise to the top of the pan before baking.
Light Rye Sandwich Loaf
Adapted from a recipe at King Arthur Flour [1]
1-1/2 cups (6.25 oz) unbleached flour
1/2 cup (2 oz) whole wheat flour
1 cup (3.75 oz) rye flour (whole grain, light or pumpernickel)
1-1/4 tsp instant yeast
1-1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 tbsp (.75 oz) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (1.5 oz) molasses
2 tbsp (.5 oz) powdered milk
1 tsp caraway seeds
7.5 oz lukewarm water
1. Put all ingredients in bread machine. Use dough cycle. Add small amount of unbleached flour if dough seems too wet (it should form into a ball while kneading).
2. Place dough in greased 8-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ loaf pan. Press down with fingers to flatten dough and fill the corners of the pan. Cover and let rise for 75-90 minutes, until dough has risen 1″ over the rim of the pan.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F
4. Bake loaf for 35-40 minutes, until instant read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 190°F.
5. Remove bread from oven, let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan and let cool thoroughly before slicing.
Servings: 12
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 127 calories, 16 calories from fat, 1.9g total fat, 4mg cholesterol, 251.9mg sodium, 155.4mg potassium, 24.2g carbohydrates, 2.3g fiber, 2.7g sugar, 3.7g protein, 29.8mg calcium, <1g saturated fat.