Homemade Round Rye Bread

Everyday, tasty, irresistible and perfect…. this recipe for making homemade bread will delight you 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons soft butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

2 packages dry yeast

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground fennel seed

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup white flour

3 cups rye flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Extra oil and rye flour

Extra butter

Equipment: Measuring cups and spoons, small saucepan, butter knife, wooden spoon, large mixing bowl, kitchen towel, cookie sheet, fork, potholders, wire cooling rack.

Preparation:

1. Put the milk into the saucepan and begin to warm it over low heat. As the milk warms, cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the milk. Stir to help the butter melt. Then turn off the heat.

2. Measure the lukewarm water into the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Stir well. Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes.

3. Add the milk and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir in the brown sugar, fennel and salt. Add the white flour, and stir to mix the ingredients.

4. Gradually mix in 2 cups of the rye flour. The dough will be very stiff and sticky. Add enough of the remaining rye flour so that you can shape the dough into a ball. Do not add all of the remaining flour. You`ll need some for step 6.

5. Cover the mixing bowl with a towel and let the dough rest in a warm spot for 10 or 15 minutes.

6. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a table or counter that has been sprinkled with some of the remaining flour. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough. Whenever the dough begins to stick to your hands, dust them with more flour and sprinkle a little more flour on the dough. By the time you have used the last of the flour, the dough should not be sticky.

 7. After 5 to 10 minutes of kneading, you will have a smooth ball of dough. If you have kneaded the dough enough, it will spring back when you poke it with your finger.

8. Cover the dough with the towel and let it rest while you wash and dry the mixing bowl.

9. Coat the inside of the bowl with oil. Put the dough into the bowl. Roll it around until it is completely coated with oil to keep it from drying out and cracking as it rises. Cover the bowl with the towel and set it in a warm, draft – free place to rise.

10. After about 45 minutes, check the dough. It should be twice as big as it was before rising. If your dough hans`t doubled in size after 45 minutes, give it more time. Check it again every 15 minutes.

11. When the dough has doubled in size, test it by poking it with your finger. If the dough does not spring back, it is ready to be shaped.

12. Oil the cookie sheet. Sprinkle it with a little rye flour.

13. Punch the dough in the bowl once or twice to remove the air. Then knead it a few minutes.

14. Shape the dough into a round loaf about 7 inches across. This is a traditional Swedish shape for bread. Place it on the cookie sheet, cover it with the towel, and let it rise again for 45 minutes.

15. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pierce the top of the loaf with a fork to keep it from cracking as it bakes. Make a deeper hole in the center by rotating the fork.

16. Place the cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake the bread for 50 to 60 minutes. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done.

17. While the loaf is still warm – but not hot enough to burn you, rub the top with butter. After 2 or 3 hours, the bread will be cool enough to slice.