Danish Rye Bread

Ingredients

Liquid Base

• 360 ml (1½ cups) cold water
• 180 ml (¾ cup) buttermilk
• 120 ml (½ cup) dark beer (stout or porter)

Leavening & Flavor

• 7 g (2¼ teaspoons) Instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) molasses or dark syrup
• 20 g (1 tablespoon) coarse salt

Grains & Seeds

• 150 g (1 cup) cracked rye kernels (rye chops)
• 50 g (⅓ cup) flaxseeds
• 100 g (¾ cup) sunflower seeds
• 400 g (3 cups) whole-grain rye flour

For the Pan

• 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) neutral oil (for greasing)
• 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) poppy seeds or sesame seeds (for coating)

Equipment

Method

Build the Liquid Base

1. Combine liquids. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold water, buttermilk, and dark beer. Sprinkle the instant yeast over the surface and stir until it dissolves completely. This only takes a minute.

Tip:

Mix the Dough

1. Add dry ingredients. Add the molasses, salt, cracked rye kernels, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and rye flour to the bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly. Stir everything together with a sturdy wooden spoon or use a stand mixer with a dough hook. The dough will be thick, sticky, and more like a wet batter than traditional bread dough. Kneading or mix for about 10 minutes until everything is fully incorporated and uniform.

Tip:

Prepare the Pan

1. Oil and seed the pan. Lightly oil a large loaf pan (9x5 inch works well, or a traditional Pullman pan). Pour your poppy seeds or sesame seeds into the pan and roll them around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Dump out any excess seeds and save them for topping.

Fill and Top the Loaf

1. Fill the pan. Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula or the back of a spoon.
2. Add seed topping. Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the surface and press them gently into the dough.

The Long Fermentation

1. Cover and rest. Cover the pan loosely with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature (around 68-72°F / 20-22°C) for 24 hours.

Tip:

Tip:

Bake Low and Slow

1. Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Bake. Place the loaf on the center rack and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The top should be dark brown and crusty. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should hit 200-205°F (93-96°C).

Tip:

Cool Completely

1. Rest in pan. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
2. Cool on rack. Turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 3-4 hours. Slicing it warm will give you gummy, compressed slices.

Tip:

Shape the Loaf

This is a no-knead pan bread, so shaping is minimal.

Loaf Pan

1. Oil and seed the pan. Lightly oil a large loaf pan (9x5 inch works well, or a traditional Pullman pan). Pour your poppy seeds or sesame seeds into the pan and roll them around to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
2. Fill the pan. Scrape the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula or the back of a spoon.
3. Add seed topping. Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the surface and press them gently into the dough.

Bake Low and Slow

Rye bread is packed with moisture and dense grains. It needs time to cook all the way through.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F. Internal temperature when done: 93-96°C / 200-205°F.

Pan Baking

Bake on the center rack for 1 hour and 30 minutes until dark brown and crusty.

Equipment: 9x5 inch loaf pan

1. Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Bake. Place the loaf on the center rack and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The top should be dark brown and crusty.
3. Check temperature. Internal temperature should hit 200-205°F (93-96°C).
4. Rest in pan. Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
5. Cool completely. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, at least 3-4 hours. Slicing it warm will give you gummy slices.

Storage

• Room temperature: Wrap tightly in a towel or plastic wrap. Keeps up to 1 week at room temperature—it actually improves after a day or two.
• Frozen: Slice before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Toast frozen slices directly.
• Refresh: Toast thin slices for smørrebrød. Thicker slices can be warmed in a 300°F oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use sourdough instead of yeast?

Yes! Replace the yeast with 150g active sourdough starter. Increase fermentation time to 36-48 hours. The flavor will be even more complex.

Why is my bread gummy inside?

Rye bread needs to bake all the way through. Check internal temperature (200-205°F). Also, wait at least 3-4 hours before slicing—cutting too early traps moisture.

What if I can't find cracked rye kernels?

Substitute with an extra 1/2 cup of whole-grain rye flour. The texture will be smoother but still delicious.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (1/16 of loaf)): 180 kcal calories, 28g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 6g fat, 5g fiber, 290mg sodium.