Not so braided bread: Braided Rye bread

I made braided bread yesterday; my prior experience with the braiding is on my hair with 3 strands. I haven’t done any 5 strand on my hair too. Now I got courage the braid the bread not 4 strand a six strand one like Challah. I started with immense preparation watching videos of braiding bread in You Tube more than 6 times, taking notes and so on. But at the end what happened is I got confused and finally made my braided bread according my own way. It turn out pretty even though they are not perfect, just like modern art, nobody knows what they are painting, and spectators do not know what they are looking. Mine is not that bad, still it is not as perfect as I wanted to be. So I am going to make again with my acquired braiding skills. 

When I saw marbled rye bread in bread baking apprentice (The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread) I fell in love with them; I want to make them immediately. I have rye flour in my hand; we love rye breads, so it is pre approved to make them at any time. Since I have only active dry yeast in my hand means I need to proof the yeast. I changed the recipe a little bit by adding ½ teaspoon of sugar to proof the yeast and 2 tablespoon of cocoa to increase the color of my dark rye bread and increased amount of water. I decorate them with caraway seeds, rye bread without caraway seed is impossible for me to think. It came out tasty, and we enjoyed the bread with a Russian cabbage soup and also as a breakfast toast. Here goes the recipe.

What you need
White rye flour: 3/4 cup
Bread flour (unbleached): 1 ½ cup
Active dry yeast: 1 teaspoon
Molasses: ½ tablespoon
Shortening: 1 tablespoon (I used Crisco shortening)
Water: ¾ cup room temperature
Water: 1/8 cup (Luke warm water)
Sugar: ¼ teaspoon
Salt: 1 teaspoon

For dark rye
White rye flour: 3/4 cup
Bread flour (unbleached): 1 ½ cup
Active dry yeast: 1 teaspoon
Molasses: ½ tablespoon
Shortening: 1 tablespoon (I used Crisco shortening)
Water: ¾ cup room temperature
Water: 1/8 cup (Luke warm water)
Sugar: ¼ teaspoon
Cocoa powder: 2 tablespoon
Salt:  1 teaspoon


For egg wash and Sprinkling

Egg: 1 no
Water: 1 teaspoon
Caraway seeds: ½ tablespoon

How I made

In a small bowl add active dry yeast in 1/8 cup lukewarm water along with 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Keep aside for 10 minutes or until yeast gets foamy. I kept it for about 20 minutes.

For  light rye

In a large bowl, stir together the rye, the bread flour, the salt, and the yeast. Add the molasses, shortening, and water. Mix until the dough forms a loose ball, adding an additional tablespoon of water or two if necessary to bring the dough together. Knead for 7-10 minutes. The dough should feel supple and pliable but not sticky.

For dark rye

In a second bowl stir together the rye, the bread flour, the salt, and the yeast. Add the molasses, shortening, water, and cocoa powder mixture. Mix until the dough forms a loose ball, adding an additional tablespoon of water or two if necessary to bring the dough together. Knead for 7-10 minutes. The dough should feel supple and pliable but not sticky.

Keep aside knead dough in slightly oiled vessel for doubling.

It took about 1hour and 45 minutes to double.

Next, turn each of the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide each color into 3 equal segments. Roll out into each portion of dough into ropes about 18 inch long, tapered at the ends. By rolling strand in the kitchen table with one hand or in between two hands. If the dough is sticky sprinkle some flour in the kitchen table so that they won’t stick together.

Join the strands at one end and they will occupy positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. starting from FAR LEFT.  Place each white and dark rye strands alternate each other.

Bring rope from position 1 to position 6 (far right)

Next bring the rope from position 5 to position 1 (far left).

Next bring the rope from position 6 (far right) to position 4.
Next bring rope from position 2 to position 6 (far right).
Next bring the rope from position 1 (far left) to position 3.

Next bring rope from position 5 to position 1 (far left).
(Go back and do position 6 to position 4 and repeat)

Repeat steps until the ropes are used up.
As I mentioned earlier I got confused and not followed the above written rule.
Do not stretch ropes while braiding but keep them together snugly. Tuck ends inside so that it looks neat.

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Once you finish the braiding gently transfer them to baking sheet lined with parchment paper and keep aside for second rising. It took about 45 minutes for braids to double in size.

In a small bowl whisk one egg with water and keep aside.

Using a brush gently and generously brush the egg wash on the doubled braided bread. With one clean hand dipped in egg solution gently press caraway seeds into each section of the braided bread.

Bake them in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes, or until they’re well browned or registered an internal temperature of 200 to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer.(I used meat reading thermometer). Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool completely before serving.

Enjoy with warm soup or toast.

Preparation time: Preparation time: 30 minutes for preparing dough,
Doubling time: 1.45minutes + 45 minutes for second rise
Baking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 1 braid
Verdict: Yummy
Will you make it again: Yes I will

I am sending this bread to


 Yeast spotting event  hosted by Susan

 Bread Baking event # 30:  Twisted bread hosted by Natashya


Swathi