Latvian Rupjmaize Dense Rye (Printable Version)

Dense Latvian rye loaf with caraway seeds, robust crust, and moist crumb, ideal for slicing and toasting.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Bread Dough

01 - 4 cups dark rye flour
02 - 3/4 cup bread flour
03 - 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
04 - 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105°F)
05 - 2 tablespoons molasses or dark honey
06 - 2 teaspoons salt
07 - 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
08 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus extra for greasing)

→ For Baking

09 - Additional rye flour, for dusting

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Combine warm water, molasses or honey, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add rye flour, bread flour, salt, and caraway seeds to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
03 - Drizzle in vegetable oil and knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic, maintaining stickiness typical for rye bread.
04 - Shape dough into a ball, lightly oil a large bowl, place dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or damp towel, and let rise at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours until doubled.
05 - Punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round or oval loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or greased loaf pan.
06 - Cover the shaped dough and let it rise for an additional 45 to 60 minutes until puffy.
07 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
08 - Dust the top of the loaf with rye flour and optionally score it with a sharp knife.
09 - Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until deeply browned and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom.
10 - Remove bread from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and toast before serving for best results.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of bread that actually sustains you—dense, complex flavors that don't disappear after one bite.
  • The long rise happens overnight while you sleep, so the actual hands-on time is just a leisurely morning.
  • Toasted with butter or paired with smoked fish, it tastes like something you've traveled to find, not something you baked at home.
02 -
  • Rye dough is stickier than wheat dough by design—if you add too much flour trying to make it feel 'normal,' you'll end up with a dense, dry brick instead of the moist bread you're after.
  • The overnight rise isn't optional; it's where the sourness and complexity develop, transforming simple ingredients into something that tastes like it took days to make.
  • Toasting this bread isn't a suggestion—it transforms the texture and deepens the flavor in ways that eating it fresh simply cannot match.
03 -
  • If you don't have molasses, dark honey or even a strong brewed coffee mixed with a bit of sugar will approximate that deep color and subtle bitterness.
  • Score the loaf confidently with a sharp knife or razor blade; tentative cuts will close up during baking, but decisive ones will open beautifully and give you that rustic, artisanal look.
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