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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
Cook Time 35 minutes
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Course Breakfast, Dinner, lunch
Cuisine Eastern European, German, Scandinavian
Servings 1 Small Loaf
Calories 1399 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 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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