This rich, aromatic bread is made with a 40/60 rye to bread flour mix and infused with molasses, cocoa, and a triple-seed mix for its distinctive flavor and color.
Combine fennel seeds, anise seeds, and caraway seed in a spice grinder, clean coffee grinder, or mortar & pestle, and grind until the mixture is the texture of medium-grind cornmeal.In a large bowl, whisk together white and rye flours, cocoa, instant coffee, salt, and the ground seed mixture. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low, heat the milk, molasses, and butter until the butter melts and the mixture is barely beginning to bubble just around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat.Stir in the water. The mixture should register 105°-115°F| 40°-43°C on an instant-read thermometer. If it is hotter, allow it to cool before continuing.Stir the yeast into the warm milk mixture. Let it stand until the yeast becomes foamy; 3-5 minutes.
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry flour mixture to the milk mixture, scraping the bowl as necessary.Mix on low until the flour and milk mixture are thoroughly combined. The dough will be quite sticky.
Knead
Important: If, after kneading the dough for a couple of minutes, the dough continues to be sticky and unstructured, sprinkle in up to ¼ cup additional bread flour.
Kneading with a Stand Mixer: Using a bread hook, knead the dough for about 10 minutes; until it appears resilient and smooth, and no longer sticks to the edges of the mixing bowl.
Kneading by Hand: Spread a tablespoon or two of oil on your bread-kneading surface. Knead the dough by hand for 8-12 minutes; until it is smooth and resilient.Rye dough isn’t as supple as white bread dough, and has an almost clay-like texture when fully kneaded. When you are done kneading, the dough should no longer stick to your hands.
Bulk Fermentation (1st Rise)
Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil. Form the bread dough into a ball and put it in the oiled bowl, turning to coat.Cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap, and let rise for about 1 - 1½ hours; until it has almost doubled in size. The dough should be light and puffy.
Poke Test: To determine if the dough is done rising, poke a floured finger about ½-inch into the dough. It should feel soft and smooth, and your finger should leave an indent in the dough. If the dough springs back right away, let it rise for a little longer. If the dough springs back slowly, and a small indentation remains, move to the next step.
Proofing (2nd Rise)
Gently punch down the dough, and then shape it into either a round or log-shaped loaf, depending on how you plan to bake it.
Place loafs into either a floured banneton (proofing basket) or parchment lined 8x4-inch bread loaf pan.Cover the loaf of dough lightly with a damp kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap, and allow it rise for 30-45 minutes. Poke it again to determine if it is ready to bake.Rye dough does not fully double on the second, proofing rise; it will be closer to a 50-70% increase.
Prep to Bake
Preheat oven to 400°F | 177°C about half an hour before the loaf will go in to bake, placing the baking rack in the center of the oven.Use a baking stone if you have one. Place the stone in the oven before you begin preheating the oven.It is important that the oven is fully heated when the bread is ready in so the bread doesn't slump as it waits to be put in the oven.
Add any seeds or oatmeal you want to the top the loaf with at this time.Using a sharp, wet knife, slash the top of the loaf a few times right before putting it in the oven.
Bake
Put loaf in the preheated oven, on a baking stone if you are using one.Use a clean mister filled with water to mist the loaf and the inside of the oven. Misting prevents the outer layer of the dough from drying out, allowing the bread to rise more freely and keeping it from browning too quickly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. When the loaf is fully baked, the bread should sound hollow when thumped, and an instant-read digital thermometer should register 190°F | 88°C.
Remove the bread from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool. If you bake the bread in a loaf pan, turn the loaf out after 10 minutes.Bread continues to bake internally for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven, so it is important to let it cool naturally before slicing.
Notes
This recipe is makes a mixed-flour rye bread; about 40% rye flour and 60% wheat flour. This hybrid-style rye bread has the flavor and texture you are probably most familiar with when it comes to dark German rye, especially outside of Germany.