SEEDED RYE BREAD

/ Makes 1 loaf

Rye bread is a staple in Denmark due to the grain growing well in the cooler northern climate where wheat doesn’t thrive. This dark dense bread is very healthy and, when sliced thinly, it’s essential for making the famous Danish open sandwiches called smørrebrød.

PREP: 30 minutes

PROVE: 28 hours (for the starter) + 12–14 hours

BAKE: 55 minutes–1 hour

for the starter:

175g rye flour

200ml date syrup

110ml warm water

½ teaspoon instant yeast

for the dough:

330g rye flour

100g strong white bread flour

10g salt

1 tablespoon date syrup

375–400ml water

60g pumpkin seeds

40g linseeds

oil, for greasing

equipment:

2lb (900g) loaf tin

1. Mix the starter ingredients together to form a paste. Cover and leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours until bubbles form and it looks lively. Leave somewhere cool for at least 24 hours. If you want a very sour taste, leave the starter for 3 to 4 days before using.
2. To make the loaf, place the flours and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 100g of the starter, the date syrup and three quarters of the water. Mix slowly, adding the remaining water to form a soft, sticky dough. Mix for 5 minutes, then add the seeds and mix again until they are incorporated. Cover and leave to prove for 2 hours. The dough will be sticky and more like a cake mixture than a white bread dough.
3. Grease a 2lb (900g) loaf tin. Scrape the dough from the bowl and place in the prepared tin, levelling the top. Place the tin in a clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 10 to 12 hours in the fridge; overnight is ideal. This slow prove produces a deep flavour.
4. Preheat your oven to 170°C/Gas 3 and place an empty roasting tray in the bottom to heat up.
5. Pour hot water into the roasting tin – this will create steam and help the crust form on the loaf. The dough should have risen to the top of the tin. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. After this time, remove the loaf from the tin, place the loaf directly on the shelf and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.