No-Knead Russian Black Bread without Sourdough
This traditional no-knead Russian black bread is hearty and delicious! Made mostly with dark rye flour plus a little bread flour to add a chewy texture, it's great for everything from toast to sandwiches.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups dark rye flour
- 2½ cups water
- 1 cup bread flour
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one envelope)
- 1 Tablespoon salt (use non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ cup molasses
- ½ cup warm water
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the rye flour and 2½ cups water. Let it sit for 20 minutes so the rye flour can hydrate.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, active dry yeast, salt, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder, and fennel seeds.
- Add the dry ingredients, molasses, and ½ cup warm water to the soaked rye flour. Mix it with a large spoon to combine everything until it’s a dense, sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let it rise for about 4 hours in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
Bake the Bread
- Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with olive oil.Spread the dough into the greased loaf pan, and use a silicone spatula to press the loaf into all edges of the pan and smooth the top. Place the whole loaf pan in a plastic bag and let it proof for 1 hour until it puffs up in size a bit. (If you cover it with plastic wrap or a towel, the dough will stick to it.)
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Fill a baking dish or baking tray with water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Place the loaf on a middle rack. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the loaf has an internal temperature of around 200°F to 210°F.
- Let the loaf cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the loaf pan. Let it finish cooling completely to room temperature on a cooling rack for at least 4 hours. Slice & enjoy!!
Notes
- Avoid Dry Bread: It's important to soak the rye flour in water before mixing the rest of the dough, to hydrate the rye flour and ensure the dough isn't too dry.
- Perfect Rise: I recommend letting your dough rise and proof in a warm draft-free spot, like in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on to provide a tiny bit of heat.
- Cool Completely: Cool the baked bread for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to prevent your slices from looking crumbly and gummy.
- Storing: Store your cooled bread wrapped in a paper bag or kitchen towel.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 149kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 442mgPotassium: 203mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 0.3IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
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