Salinātā Rudzu Rupjmaize

Salinātā Rudzu Rupjmaize (Latvian Salted Rye Bread)

A dense, dark Latvian rye bread with a famously thick, crackling crust and a moist, slightly sweet crumb. Traditionally baked in tall round loaves and sliced thin to accompany soups, cheeses, or simply butter.

Prep

40 min

Cook

75 min

Total

115 min

Serves

12 slices per loaf

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) dark rye flour, whole-grain rye, not light rye
• •100 g (3½ oz) bread flour, high-gluten wheat flour
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) buttermilk, room temperature, traditionally 'piena rūgušpiens'; whole milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice is a fair substitute
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) warm water, around 38°C / 100°F
• •15 g (1 tbsp) fine sea salt, Latvian recipes are notably salty; do not reduce for a first bake
• •20 g (1½ tbsp) caraway seeds, toasted and crushed, kyminu sēklas, the signature spice
• •50 g (¼ cup) dark malt syrup or barley malt extract, gives the dark color and faint sweetness; molasses is the closest substitute
• •10 g (2 tsp) active dry yeast, or 7 g instant yeast
• •1 tbsp coarse rye flour or semolina, for dusting

Steps

1. 1 In a small bowl, whisk warm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of the malt syrup; let stand 8–10 minutes until foamy. If no foam forms, discard and start with fresh yeast.
2. 2 In a large bowl, stir together the rye flour, bread flour, salt, and crushed caraway. Rye has no gluten, so resist adding extra flour when the dough feels sticky.
3. 3 Pour in the foamy yeast mixture, buttermilk, remaining malt syrup, and mix with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky, batter-like dough forms. Cover and let rest 20 minutes (an autolyse that hydrates the rye).
4. 4 Scrape the dough into a well-greased 1.5 L (about 6-cup) round, straight-sided metal or glass baking dish — a traditional Latvian 'maizes forma'. Smooth the top with a wet hand; it will not rise like wheat dough, so don't expect much change.
5. 5 Cover loosely with a damp towel and proof at room temperature 2–3 hours, until the surface shows small cracks and the dough has just begun to pull slightly from the sides. For deeper flavor, retard in the refrigerator 12–24 hours after the first hour of proofing.
6. 6 Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F) with a rack in the lower third, and place an empty metal baking tray on the floor of the oven to heat for steam.
7. 7 Brush the top of the loaf with a little buttermilk, dust generously with coarse rye flour, and slash a simple cross or circle across the top with a wet, sharp knife to control the crack.
8. 8 Place the loaf in the oven and immediately pour 200 ml (¾ cup) hot water into the hot tray to create a burst of steam. Close the door quickly.
9. 9 Bake 15 minutes at 230°C, then reduce to 180°C (350°F) and bake another 55–60 minutes. The crust should be very dark, almost black-brown, and sound hollow when tapped. Internal crumb temperature should read 95–100°C (203–212°F) on an instant-read thermometer — underbaked rye feels gummy.
10. 10 Remove from the oven and immediately unmold onto a wire rack. For the iconic crackling crust, brush the hot loaf all over with cold water and let it cool completely (at least 6 hours, preferably overnight wrapped in a clean linen towel). Do not slice until cool — rye continues to set as it cools.