Finnish Rye Bread

Bank holiday weekends are just great. Especially when the weather is so good. The Thew and I took advantage by eating and drinking our way around London for two days. We met up with friends on Saturday and then on Sunday we went on some epic walkabout stopping off for food and wine. It’s what we do best and it was nice that my husband didn’t have to run a couple of marathons just as part of his training. Although some hill running is about to commence to get him ready for his next challenge. 

Anyway Monday was all about recovering and we just pootled around our local parks. I really couldn’t be bothered with baking anything that would take too much time. I had planned to do something intricate, because the weather on a Bank Holiday Monday is normally pants and I’m happy to be in my kitchen, but the sun came out and all plans went on hold. 

So it might seem weird that I'd make bread for something quick and easy but it really is. This recipe is a Nigella one from the Domestic Goddess who can always be relied on for something that isn’t a faff. After an impromptu picnic in Victoria Park The Thew and I headed home to sit in the small park behind our block of flats. I spent five minutes getting the dough ready to rise, popped it in the airing cupboard to prove and after a couple of hours sitting in the sun the dough was ready for the second proving before popping in the oven. Barely any work at all.  

Ingredients 

225g rye flour

300g strong white flour

7g (1 sachet) easy blend yeast

1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar (I only had light but it seems to work)

2 tsp salt

300ml warm flour

45g melted butter 

1.    Put the flours, yeast, sugar and salt into a bowl and mix. Add the warm water slowly and bring together. You're going to need to get your hand into the mixture as a wooden spoon just doesn't cut it.

2.    Once it’s come together add a tbsp of the melted butter and mix in. Then get kneading. Dough hooks are clearly recommended here but by all means do it manually. There is something about having dough in your fingernails that makes it feel like you’ve achieved something.

3.    Use some of the melted butter, about a tbsp, to oil a bowl and the top of the dough. Cover the bowl, leave somewhere warm for a couple of hours to double in size (or in the fridge overnight) and go outside to sit in the sun.

4.    Once doubled in size punch the dough down (is there anything more gratifying in baking), knead a bit and then shape into a round loaf and place on a baking tray. Leave somewhere warm for about 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 190°C/GM 5.

5.    Then pop in the oven for about 45 minutes (to check if it’s done tap the bottom and it should sound hollow). Then when you take it out brush the top with the remaining melted butter to give a chewy crust.