Homemade rye bread

Ingredients:

• 4 cups premium flour
• 1.5 cups of water (boil)
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1.5 tsp salt (sea)
• 3 tbsp (45 g) butter (or cooking fat)
• 1/4 cup water (room temperature)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Preparation:

1. Place the rolled oats in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Add blackstrap molasses, sea salt, and butter. Stir and set aside until the mixture is warm enough to handle.
2. Pour 1/4 cup of room temperature water into a measuring cup. Stir in the yeast until dissolved. Transfer the yeast to a larger bowl, making sure the mixture isn't too hot. If it is too hot, the yeast will die.Slowly stir in the flour.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and leave in a warm, draft-free place. Let it rise for about 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Remove the wrap and stir the dough. Stir with a wooden spoon until the air bubbles disappear.
4. Grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf pan. Scrape the dough into the pan. Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes.
5. Bake the bread at 200°C for about 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
6. Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
   
   Recipe rye bread with caraway seeds.
   
   

   Bread Baking Tips

   
   To prevent molasses from sticking to the measuring spoon, coat it with a small amount of vegetable oil. An opened jar of molasses will keep for up to 1 year.
   
   Spray the loaves with water during baking to create a crispy crust.
   
   Before baking, brush the bread with egg white to give it a shiny crust.
   
   Brush the bread with milk before baking to create a dark, shiny crust.
   
   Brush the bread with butter immediately after baking to ensure a soft crust.
   
   Store yeast in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Heat, moisture, and air kill yeast and prevent dough from rising.
   
   To keep bread soft, store it in a plastic bag..