Rye Beer Bread

RYE BEER BREAD

1 Preparation Time :

Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -- -- --

1 1/2 T Active dry yeast

1/2 c Warm water

2 c Dark beer, at room temp

2 T Molasses or caramel

2 T Lard or vegetable fat,

-melted

2 T Crushed caraway seeds

1 T Salt

3 c Rye flour

2 1/2 c To

3 cups white flour,

-preferably unbleached

Makes 2 round loaves

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the

beer, molasses, lard, caraway seeds, salt, rye flour, and enough

white flour until the dough becomes difficult to stir.

Turn the dough out onto a floured working surface and let rest while

you clean out and grease your bowl. Knead the dough, adding more

white flour as necessary; it will be very tacky, but up to 3 cups of

white flour in all and about 8-10 minutes of kneading should be

enough. Return the dough to the greased bowl, cover with plastic

wrap, and let rise until double in volume - about 2 hours.

Turn the dough out, punch it down, and form into 2 rounds. Place far

apart on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Let rise

covered with a towel until double - about 45 minutes. If you have

tiles or a baking stone, heat the oven well ahead to 375 F to warm

them, and to get a good crust use a device to create steam.

If you don't want to bother with a steaming device, brush the loaves

with cold water before they go in the oven and again two or three

times during the first 10 minutes. If you have tiles or a baking

stone, slip the loaves directly onto the hot surface; otherwise

simply bake the loaves on the baking sheet. After 10 minutes reduce

350 F and bake another

40 minutes. Cool on racks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -