Scandinavian Rye Bread

I admit it, I have a problem. I have Scandimania. I'm in love with Scandinavian fashion, lifestyle, furniture, design and, most of all, food. It seems that Nordic cuisine has taken the nation by storm with it's simple textures and earthy flavours, a type of straightforward and minimalistic cooking style that has really grabbed our attention. Nordic cuisine has come on in such leaps and bounds over the last few years that it appears now the true taste of Scandinavia can be found in a simple rye loaf... rather than needing to remortgage my house in order to sample the latest seaweed and moss emulsion at Noma.

This loaf is dark and wholesome, perfect layered with salmon and avocado for my take on smørrebrød, a traditional Danish open sandwich... it's also nice toasted with marmite, just saying.  

Scandinavian Rye Bread

175ml of Milk

175ml of Water

2tbsp of Dark Soft Brown Sugar

1 7g Sachet of Dried Yeast

250g of Wholemeal Rye Flour

200g (plus extra for dusting) of Strong White Bread Flour

1tsp of Salt

1tbsp of Caraway Seeds

1tbsp of Fennel Seeds 

Pour the milk, water and sugar into a small saucepan and set over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Once the mixture reaches blood temperature, remove from the heat, add the sachet of yeast and set aside for 10 minutes until small bubbles begin to form on the surface (this means the yeast is working). 

Combine both sorts of flour, salt and crushed caraway and fennel seeds in a large bowl and pour in the yeast mixture. Bring together roughly with a wooden spoon first, then kneed for around 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. In order to make the dough springy and elastic this could take a while... so give it some wellie, and put something good on your laptop to watch (I watched Orange is The New Black- I'm hooked!). 

Once kneaded, put the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place to prove for about an hour and a half (I use my airing cupboard).

When proven, turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock-back lightly with your knuckles, kneed again for another minute or so and shape into a nice, rounded loaf. Slash twice with a cerated knife, place on a baking tray and return to your airing cupboard (or warm place of choice, I don't judge) for another 40 minutes. 

Once proven again, place into a preheated oven at 180C and bake for 30-40 minutes. When cooked, your loaf should be a rich, dark brown colour and should sound hollow when tapped lightly on the bottom.