German Country Style Sourdough Rye Bread With Caraway Seeds

When I lived in Germany I loved all the different types of breads that were on offer; so many different textures and flavours - lots of them with seeds, onions, cheese and grains. This has to be my all time favourite however - a light and slightly chewy sourdough rye bread with caraway seeds - the very essence of traditional German flavours! This bread has been adapted for the Bread Machine/Maker, and works EXTREMELY well when made this way. However, you can of course make it by hand in the more traditonal manner, as I like to do when I have lots of "bread making time"! This bread makes superb sandwiches and is perfect when served with soups, pates, cold meats, hams, corned beef, cheese and pickles. The "sponge" sourdough starter needs to ferment only overnight, making this a light style sourdough bread. This bread also keeps very well for up to 4 to 5 days.

• Ready In: 15 hrs
• Yields: 14 Slices - Medium Loaf

Ingredients

• Overnight Sourdough Sponge

• 50  g  strong white bread flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fast-rising active dry yeast
• 3  tablespoons water
• 1  tablespoon milk

• Bread

• 250  ml  tepid water
• 2  tablespoons caraway seeds
• 225  g  rye flour
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 225  g  strong white bread flour
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons fast-rising active dry yeast

Directions

1. To make the sourdough Sponge.
2. Mix all the ingredients together to make a smooth paste, cover with a tea towel and leave to ferment overnight at room temperature, for between 8 to 12 hours.
3. To make the bread.
4. When you are ready to make the bread, pour the water into the bucket, followed by all of the sourdough sponge and then add the caraway seeds.
5. The add in this order: rye flour, salt, sugar and then the white bread flour.
6. Finally sprinkle the dried yeast over the top and fit the bucket into the bread machine/maker.
7. Set to the rapid wholemeal setting, for a medium sized loaf (750g) with the crust setting of your choice.
8. Once the bread has cooked - take it carefully out of the bucket and leave to cool on a wire cooling rack. Remove the paddle if it is still in the bread before slicing.
9. Serve with soups, hams, cold meats, cheese and pickles or make sandwiches of your choice.