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4.96 from 22 votes

Danish Sourdough Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
14 hours proving time14 hours
Total Time15 hours
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Servings: 1 large loaf

Equipment

  • 1.5kg loaf tin

Ingredients

Day 1 – Wet Leaven

  • 125 g active rye starter 100% hydration
  • 230 g dark rye flour
  • 290 g cold water

Seeds & chopped rye grains

  • 50 g chopped rye grains
  • 150 g seed blend ie. golden & brown linseeds, sesame, buckwheat, millet, sunflower & pumpkin seeds
  • 150 g boiling water

Day 2

  • Wet Leaven as above
  • 330 g dark rye flour
  • 12 g fine sea salt
  • 2 tbls molasses (black treacle)
  • 220 g water tepid
  • 2 tsp caraway seeds optional
  • a few mixed seeds for sprinkling on top the loaf

Instructions

Day 1

  • Place the starter in a large bowl and add the cold water and flour. Stir with a spoon to form a nice loose mixture, cover. In a separate bowl place the seeds and chopped rye, pour over the boiling water, cover. Leave both at room temperature for 10-12 hours. (Overnight).

Day 2

  • Uncover the wet leaven. It should be nice and bubbly and have a pleasant, slightly fruity, alcoholic aroma.
  • Now add all the remaining ingredients to the pre-ferment, including the soaked seeds (they will have absorbed all the water). With a large rubber spoon, bring the mixture together and continue mixing for a couple of minutes, until it’s fully combined. Leave for 10 minutes so the flour can fully absorb the water. The wet dough will become slightly firmer.
  • Lightly oil your loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. Dust with rye flour.
  • Spoon the loose dough in the tin. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with mixed seeds and heavily dredge with rye flour.
  • Leave to rise. This can take 1½-3 hours (this largely depends on the temperature of your kitchen) when the surface of the bread starts to crack. It’s ready to bake.
  • Preheat the oven 30 minutes before baking to 230°C fan. *See notes or as high as it will go. Place a tray of water at the bottom of the oven. Put the loaf in the oven and bake for 40 minutes turning 180 degrees (so the front is now at the back of the oven) half way through baking.
  • Remove from the oven and tip it out of the tin and cool on a wire rack.
  • Slice when the loaf is completely cold, it's important to let the crumb set. Best left for 4-5 hours or even overnight.

Notes

If your oven doesn't go up to 230°C/fan, bake at 220°C instead and add 5 minutes to the baking time.