Servings
Font
Back
0 from 54 votes

Russian Black Bread

This Russian Black Bread is a hearty, deep and dark rye bread, heavy with flavors of caraway and coffee and perfect for serving with a thick stewYield: 1 (8-10 inch) round loaf

Prep Time
3 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
3 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 169 kcal
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Russian

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ c water, warmed to 90-100F
  • Pinch brown sugar
  • 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 Tbsp molasses
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 ½ c rye flour
  • 1 ½ c + 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ c wheat bran
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp ground espresso or coffee
  • 1 Tbsp caraway seeds
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl, combine yeast and sugar with warm water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Heat the molasses and butter in a small bowl, until melted and smooth. Add the vinegar, and let the mixture cool slightly to around 100F.
  3. In a large bowl, combine rye flour, 1 ½ c all purpose flour, bran, cocoa powder, ground espresso, caraway, fennel and salt. Mix to combine.
  4. Add yeast and molasses mixtures to the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
  5. Add additional all purpose flour as needed to bring the dough together. It will be very sticky but firm
  6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7-10 minutes to create a firm, but springy dough. (Alternately, combine the ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer and knead with the dough hook on low speed for 3-5 minutes.)
  7. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea-towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round. Place it directly on baking sheet dusted with flour. Cover loosely with a damp tea towel. Let rise until nearly doubled in size roughly 1 hour.
  9. Near the end of your rising time, preheat the oven to 425F.
  10. Uncover the dough sprinkle it with a dusting of flour and some caraway seeds (if desired). Using a serrated knife, quickly cut an 'X', roughly 1 ½ inches deep across the top of the dough.
  11. Bake for 20 minutes at 425F.
  12. Reduce the heat to 350F, and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the loaf develops a deep color and sounds hollow when you tap on it.
  13. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes on a rack before slicing into it.

Nutrition Information

Calories 169kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 33.2g (11%) Protein 5.6g (11%) Fat 3.2g (5%) Saturated Fat 1.6g (8%) Cholesterol 6mg (2%) Sodium 485mg (20%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 2.5g (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 169

% Daily Value*

Calories 169kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 33.2g 11%
Protein 5.6g 11%
Fat 3.2g 5%
Saturated Fat 1.6g 8%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 485mg 20%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 2.5g 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.