Suomalaisruisleip Finnish Rye Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in brown sugar, oil, salt and 1 cup of the rye flour.
• Beat until smooth.
• Stir in enough all-purpose flour to make the dough easy to handle.
• Turn dough onto surface that has been sprinkled with the remaining rye flour. Cover; let rest 10 to 15 minutes.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.
• Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Punch down dough; shape into a round, slightly flat loaf.
• Place in greased 9 x 1 1/2-inch round pan. Cover; let rise until double, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 40 to 50 minutes. Immediately remove from pan. Brush top of loaf with butter; cool on wire rack.
• Note: Yeast Equivalents are One package = 2 1/4 teaspoons = 1/4 ounce.

Steps:

• Pour warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in yeast until dissolved. Season with salt. Gradually mix in 4 1/2 cups of the flour. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Sprinkle a clean, flat work surface with the remaining 1/2 cup flour; turn the dough onto the floured surface. Divide evenly into 4 balls. The flour from your work surface is to keep the dough from becoming sticky, but be careful not to work the extra flour into the balls of dough.
• Roll out each ball until 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick and about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Very carefully, use a thin, flat object to transfer each round to baking sheets that have been greased and well-sprinkled with flour. Cut a 2-inch hole in the center of each round. A cookie cutter generally will do the trick. Prick all over with a fork.
• Keep rounds in a warm place to rise for about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Bake rounds in the preheated oven until firm to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 1 hour. The rounds will not be crisp yet.
• Let the cooled rounds dry on racks in a cool, dry place for 8 hours, or overnight. Avoid humidity.