Danish rye bread

This is the most common and traditional bread in Denmark. It’s also the base for the famous “Smørrebrød” or open sandwich. If you haven’t tried it before, you might think when you see this bread; healthy but it doesn’t taste that good. Please try it and I’m sure you will have a different opinion after.

Ingredients (3 loafs): 

Step 1

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups whole grain rye flour
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 5 tbs flaxseeds
• 5 tsp salt

Step 2

• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 pack dry yeast (approximately 3.5 tsp)
• 1 cup dark maple syrup
• 4.5 cups whole grain rye flour
• 1.5 cup all purpose flour

Topping

• Sunflower seeds or sesame seeds

Start with step 1 (recommended to prepare the night before): add rye flour, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and salt in a bowl. Pour the hot water into the bowl and carefully mix it. Let it stand stand over night (or until it’s cold) before moving on to step 2.

Add all ingredients from step 2 into the mixture that has been standing over the night. Easiest is to use your hands, mix the dough until all ingredients are well mixed. Use loaf baking pans (size: 7 cups loaf pan). The dough will be enough for three loaf baking pans. If you have three, split the dough in the three pans. Let the dough rise in the loaf pans for additional 45 minutes. If you have only one loaf pan, let the rest of the dough rise in the bowl and bake after the first loaf is ready.

Sprinkle sunflower or sesame seeds on top of the loaf.

Heat the oven to 400ºF. Let the bread bake for 45 minutes or until the temperature inside the bread is 210ºF. Let the bread cool down before slicing it.

Ready to serve!