Easy to follow Rye Bread

Rye bread is a dense, flavourful yeast bread made with a high proportion of rye flour.
Rye has very little gluten, so this bread:

• Feels stickier than white dough
• Doesn’t rise as much
• Has a closer, heavier crumb

That’s not a fault — it’s exactly what rye bread is meant to be.

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Rye Bread

Rye bread is a robust, flavour-forward loaf made with a high proportion of rye flour. Rye contains very little gluten, which makes the dough behave differently from white bread. This results in a denser crumb and a deeper, earthier flavour.

This is bread made for savoury toppings — simple, honest, and designed to be enjoyed slowly. Explore the full guide here ← Back to How to Cook Anything – Bread.

Rye Bread

Mark Dexter

Rye bread is a dense, flavourful yeast bread made with a high proportion of rye flour.Rye has very little gluten, so this bread:

Feels stickier than white dough

Doesn’t rise as much

Has a closer, heavier crumb

That’s not a fault — it’s exactly what rye bread is meant to be.

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

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Course Breakfast, Dinner, lunch

Cuisine Eastern European, German, Scandinavian

Servings 1 Small Loaf

Calories 1399 kcal

Equipment

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• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 measuring jug
• 1 Wooden spoon or dough scraper
• 1 Bench or clean work surface
• 1 Loaf tin or baking tray
• 1 Clean tea towel
• 1 Oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 100 g Bakers Flour
• 360 g Rye Flour
• 10 g Salt
• 5 g Bread Improver
• 35 g Yeast
• 300 ml Water Approx

Instructions

 

Mix the dry ingredients

• Place the bakers flour, rye flour, salt, and bread improver into a large bowl.

  Mix well to combine evenly.

Add yeast and water

• Add the yeast, then pour in the lukewarm water.

  Mix until a sticky dough forms.

  This dough will not form a smooth ball like white bread — that’s normal.

Knead gently

• Turn the dough onto the bench.

  Knead briefly and gently for 5–6 minutes, just until:

  Ingredients are evenly mixed

  Dough feels cohesive

  Do not over-knead — rye does not benefit from long kneading.

First rise

• Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl.

  Cover and leave in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until slightly risen.

  Rye dough will not double dramatically.

Knock back lightly

• Gently press out large air pockets.

Shape

• Shape into a compact loaf.

  Place into a greased loaf tin or onto a lined tray.

  Rye dough is easiest handled with lightly wet hands.

Second rise

• Cover and allow to rise for 25–35 minutes.

  The dough should look slightly puffy, not airy.

Bake

• Preheat oven to 220°C (fan 200°C).

  Bake for 35–40 minutes until:

  Dark brown crust

  Firm to the touch

  Hollow sound when tapped underneath

Cool completely

• Cool on a rack before slicing.

  Rye bread needs full cooling to set — slicing early makes it gummy.

Ready to use

• Rye bread is perfect for:

  Open sandwiches

  Smoked fish

  Cheeses

  Savoury toppings

Mark’s bench-side advice

• Sticky dough? Correct — don’t fight it.

  Flat loaf? Normal for rye-heavy breads.

  Gummy crumb? Bread sliced too early.

  Rye bread isn’t about height — it’s about flavour.

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 1399kcalCarbohydrates: 286gProtein: 60gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 728mgPotassium: 1827mgFiber: 52gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 10mg

Keyword artisan, dense, homemade, yeast bread

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