Rye bread is an amazing food stuff made from rye grain flour. It is sometimes dark in color, and sometimes light. Such coloring is dependent upon types of flour in the mix, and also the colors of other ingredients used in the whole recipe. The darker rye breads were a life sustaining food stuff during the time of the middle ages. Plenty of variations on the bread were given to us by the peoples of western and eastern Europe, as well as the Scandinavian and Baltic countries. It was near around 500 AD that the Danes as well as the Saxons made Britain their home. It was they who introduced rye to that part of the world, and the climate there proved compatible with the growing of the grain. 100% pure rye breads contain only the flour of the rye grain. Such bread is usually quite dark in color, and very heavy to the touch.
Image result for dark german rye bread
The mixing of wheat and rye is basically done to create the lighter variations of the rye breads. Lighter tasting rye breads can be made to appear dark by adding molasses, caramel, or both. Caraway seeds are quite popular with rye, and for some, rye is not rye without the caraways. However the original reason for adding such seeds was to cut down on the amount of intestinal gas resulting from straight rye bread. These days, it’s almost impossible to separate the two flavors of rye and caraway.
Let’s put together a recipe for dark rye bread that is both satisfying and delicious.
So we start with one and a half cups of water.
Then two table spoons of apple cider vinegar.
Then two and a half cups of bread flour.
One cup of rye flour with a teaspoon salt.
Then two tablespoons of softened butter.
Then two tablespoons of corn syrup dark.
One tablespoon of brown sugar.
Three tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
Then one tablespoon of caraway seeds.
And two teaspoons of active dry yeast.
So we would now set the soft butter to the side, and then go ahead and mix all ingredients together in a proper mixing bowl. Using a power mixer, the ingredients should be mixed at low speed using a dough hook, for a period of eight to ten minutes. Then add the butter to the mix, and mix on low again for an additional four to five minutes. At this time the dough must be transferred to a greased bowl. Tumble the dough a few times to make sure the whole surface gets some lubrication. Then cover the bowl, and let the mix rise for about an hour to double it’s size.
After rising, take two greased nine by five inch bread pans, and first deflate the dough and tumble it onto a lightly floured cutting board or table top. Cut the dough into equal halves, flatten the portions into rectangle shapes, and put each half into its pan. Cover the pans and allow for another thirty minutes. Then go ahead and bake. Using a preheated oven at 400 degrees, bake for around 30 minutes so that the exterior will have a nice darkened crust.
Regarding the cocoa, consider trying a double chocolate flavored protein powder instead. You will increase the amino acid profile, while reducing the carbs a bit, and have a more balances end result nutritionally. TO YOUR HEALTH.