Rye Bread

Rye bread is a bread which is entirely or partially made with rye flour in different proportions. The color of bread varies on the amount of bran left in rye flour after milling. The bread is denser than wheat breads and darker in color than most other breads found in the market. Although some variations suggest mixing rye flour with certain proportions of wheat flour, the original bread recipe suggest only the use of pure rye flour.
This bread is a common staple of Russia and Northern Europe because rye grows well in these regions.  This bread is mostly moist and has large shelf life compared to wheat breads.  This makes it a popular food choice to be packed during long outdoor trips. Normally the bread is served in thin slices because it is denser than other breads which also make it difficult to handle. The bread is sometimes sold in thin slices. 
In US, the bread is strongly influenced by Jewish- American cuisine and is prepared with white rye mix and topped with caraway seeds. Similarly, in Scandinavian countries the bread is prepared with spices and seeds.

 


History of Rye Breads

The exact date of origin of the bread is unknown but some historical accounts suggest that the bread was introduced in about 500 CE when the Danes and Saxons famously conquered Britain. It was found that many variations of this bread were popular throughout Europe in middle ages. In Scandinavia the rye bread is the most popular type of bread.

 


Ingredients Prescribed by Basic Rye Bread Recipe

This bread is also preferred over other bread types because it follows simple recipe and fewer ingredients.  Following the requirements of basic recipe, ingredients like rye flour, fresh yeast, tepid water and sea salt are used in the preparation of bread. Some rye bread preparations variants may also suggest replacing rye flour with half potato flour.

 


Method of Preparation: Rye Bread Recipe

Following the requirements of recipe, the bread preparation begins with dissolving yeast in tepid water. The bread dough is prepared by kneading flour with salt and yeast. The dough is allowed to rise to its double volume in 2 hours. The actual bread preparation is accomplished by baking the bread in oven.

 


Health and Nutrition Information Related to Rye breads

It is recommended that rye should be harvested with utmost care because it is vulnerable to ergot fungus. If this fungus transmits with rye to the other foods then it can induce some serious health conditions like hallucinations and convulsions.