MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough by hand following the instructions. Don’t forget to reduce the oven temperature immediately after putting the loaf in the oven. We prefer to use light or medium rye flour in this bread; tasters found dark rye flour overpowering. This loaf takes two days to make, but for a faster version, see the same-day variation Click here for more information; it will be slightly less flavorful but still very good. If you don’t have a baking stone, bake the bread on an overturned and preheated rimmed baking sheet set on the lower-middle oven rack. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
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SPONGE |
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¾ |
cup warm water (110 degrees) |
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¾ |
cup (4⅛ ounces) light or medium rye flour |
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¼ |
cup (1⅓ ounces) bread flour |
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½ |
teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast |
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DOUGH |
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3–3½ |
cups (16½ to 19¼ ounces) bread flour |
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1 |
cup (5½ ounces) light or medium |
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rye flour |
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1 |
tablespoon caraway seeds |
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1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
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1 |
tablespoon honey |
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1½ |
teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast |
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1½ |
cups warm water (110 degrees) |
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2 |
teaspoons salt |
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Vegetable oil spray |
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GLAZE |
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1 |
large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water |
1. FOR THE SPONGE: Stir all ingredients together in medium bowl until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until sponge has risen and fallen, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. FOR THE DOUGH: Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine 3 cups bread flour, rye flour, caraway seeds, oil, honey, and yeast. With mixer on low speed, add water and mix until dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Stop mixer, cover bowl with plastic (no need to remove bowl from mixer), and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Remove plastic, add sponge and salt, and knead dough on medium-low speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. If after 4 minutes more flour is needed, add remaining ½ cup bread flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until dough clears sides of bowl, but sticks to bottom.
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball. Place dough in large, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with greased plastic. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
5. Top pizza peel with parchment paper. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter, press it into 10-inch square without tearing it, and gently dimple it with your fingertips. Fold top corners into middle of dough, then gent-ly roll and pinch dough into torpedo shape. Transfer to prepared peel, seam side down, and gently tuck dough into taut loaf. Mist loaf with vegetable oil spray, cover loosely with plastic, and let rise in warm place until nearly doubled in size and dough barely springs back when poked with knuckle, 1 to 1½ hours.
6. FOR THE GLAZE: One hour before baking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Score top of loaf with razor blade or sharp knife. Brush loaf with egg-water mixture, then spray lightly with water. Carefully slide loaf and parchment onto hot baking stone. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake until center of loaf registers 210 degrees and crust is deep golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating loaf halfway through baking.
7. Transfer loaf to wire rack, discard parchment, and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing and serving.