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Honey and Rye Loaf
Honey and Rye Loaf

If I had to pick just one food I miss the most about Germany, it is the bread. Well actually it's fresh quark (a type of fresh cheese similar to yogurt), but bread is a close second.

Whenever I get a new European cuisine cookbook, I always turn to the bread recipes first.

And I didn't have to go far when I cracked open Wild Honey & Rye: Modern Polish Recipes by Ren Behan to be released by Interlink Books on June 26.

Behan's Honey and Rye Loaf is the first recipe in the book.

If you're a fan of European-style bread -- sturdy bread with a firm, crisp crust and delightful chew encasing a tender, flavor-rich crumb -- this recipe is for you.

If you like your bread so soft and fragile you can leave fingerprints in it just by touching it -- well, we have more things to disagree on than weather this recipe produces a good loaf.

Sure, soft white sandwich bread has its place, but when I'm in the mood for bread I want something I can really sink my teeth into. Something that will stand up to a variety of toppings. And bread that doesn't stick to my teeth.

The loaf has a slight sweetness on its own thanks to a couple of tablespoons of honey, but I couldn't resist giving it an additional drizzle after slathering it with butter.

It was equally good paired with sharp cheddar cheese and creamy havarti cheese.

This recipe is 50 percent rye, which means the dough won't be as supple as wheat dough, so don't be surprised by the texture. It will feel more like clay than dough. A couple of teaspoons of caraway seeds give it that signature deli rye flavor. In addition to their mild, licorice-like flavor, caraway seeds are believed to aid in digestion. Folklore holds that they help reduce some of the, um, unpleasantness that sometimes occurs after eating high-fiber foods.

Honey and Rye Loaf

Chleb Zytni z Miodem

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup lukewarm milk

2 tablespoons honey

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)

2 1/2 cups rye flour, plus more for dusting

2 cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Vegetable oil, for greasing

In a small bowl, combine the warm water, milk, honey and yeast. Set aside until foamy. If mixture does not foam, discard and begin again with new yeast.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, stir together the flours, salt and caraway seeds. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in liquid. Stir until dough comes together. Dough will be stiff.

Turn dough out onto a rye floured surface and knead 10 minutes. (This dough is best kneaded by hand, as it may be too stiff for some mixers.)

Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl to rise until doubled, up to 2 hours.

Tip dough out onto the work surface. Briefly gently knead the dough and then shape into a round or oblong loaf. Place loaf on a parchment lined (or oiled) baking sheet.

Let rest while the oven heats to 400 degrees.

Using a sharp knife, slash the loaf across the top in several places. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown all over and internal temperature reaches 200 degrees.

Makes 1 loaf.

Recipe adapted from Wild Honey & Rye: Modern Polish Recipes by Ren Behan (Interlink Books, June 26, 2018)

Food on 04/25/2018

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