Baking Bread – Rye Bread Recipe from Estonia | Baking Tutorial | Estonian Rye Bread

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Dive into the rich heritage of Estonian cuisine with this traditional dark and dense rye bread, known locally as "Must Leib." Perfectly flavored with a sourdough starter, seeds, and a unique potato starch glaze, this bread will become a staple in your baking repertoire.

Ingredients

Dough 1 (Rye Sourdough):
💧 240 ml water
🌾 30 g rye sourdough starter
🌾 240 g wholemeal rye flour

Dough 2 (Seeds Soak):
🎃 60 g pumpkin seeds
🌻 80 g sunflower seeds, total seeds: 140 g
💧 150 ml hot water
🧂 10 g salt

Dough 3 (Rye Flour Mix):
🌾 360 g wholemeal rye flour
🧂 12 g salt
💧 390 ml hot water

Main Dough:
🌾 260 g wholemeal flour
🍞 15 g fresh yeast
🥄 3 tsp roasted malt
🍯 4 tbs sugar beet syrup
🌿 3 tsp caraway seeds

For Greasing:
🧈 Butter (unspecified quantity)

For Glaze:
🌱 8 g potato starch
💧 5 ml cold water
💧 16 ml boiling water

Instructions

1- Prepare Dough 1 (Rye Sourdough):

Combine 240 ml water, 30 g rye sourdough starter, and 240 g wholemeal rye flour in a mixing bowl.
Mix well until combined.
Cover and let it rest for 17 hours.

2- Prepare Dough 2 (Seeds):

In a separate bowl, mix 60 g pumpkin seeds, 80 g sunflower seeds, 150 ml hot water, and 10 g salt.
Cover and let it rest for 17 hours.

3- Prepare Dough 3 (Rye Flour):

Combine 360 g wholemeal rye flour, 12 g salt, and 390 ml hot water in another bowl.
Mix until combined.
Cover and let rest for 17 hours.

4- Combine the Doughs:

Transfer all three doughs into a large mixing bowl.

5- Add Main Dough Ingredients:

To the combined doughs, add 15 g fresh yeast, 3 tsp roasted malt, 4 tbs sugar beet syrup, 3 tsp caraway seeds, and 260 g wholemeal flour.

6- Mix the Dough:

Use a wooden spoon initially, then mix thoroughly with a Miele hand mixer with dough hooks for 8 minutes until sticky and well combined.

7- Prepare Baking Tins:

Generously grease two bread tins with butter.

8- Fill Tins and Score:

Divide the dough evenly into the buttered bread tins, smooth the tops with a spatula, and score with a knife.

9- Second Rest:

Cover the tins with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 80 minutes.

10- Prepare Glaze:
- Spread 8 g of potato starch on a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 250°C for 5 minutes.
- Combine the toasted starch with 5 ml cold water and 16 ml boiling water for a smooth glaze.

11- Bake the Bread:
- Bake tins at 230°C for 20 minutes, then reduce to 180°C and bake for 40 more minutes.

12- Check Doneness:
- Use a digital probe thermometer to ensure the bread's internal temperature reaches 98°C.

13- Apply Glaze:
- Brush the freshly baked loaves with the glaze immediately after removing them from the oven.

14- Cool:
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Prep Time: 17 hours active, plus 80 minutes rest
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: Over 19 hours
Servings: About 20 slices
Equipment: