Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

Makes one 13-inch loaf, approximately 26 slices. Total time includes 9½ hours of overnight rest.

Special Equipment

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Pullman pan with lid (33 x 10cm / 13 x 4 inches)

Ingredients

For the Soaker

• 375g (13¼oz) 7-grain hot cereal mix (such as Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Cereal), or rye chops — see Notes
• 142g (5oz) raw sunflower seeds
• 152g (5½oz) raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 71g (2½oz) flax seeds
• 613ml (2½ cups) cold water

For the Dough

• 248g (8¾oz) dark rye flour, plus more for dusting the pan and loaf
• 295g (10½oz) bread flour
• 1 tsp instant dried yeast
• 353ml (1½ cups) cold water
• 4 tsp salt
• 80g (¼ cup) molasses
• Butter, for greasing the pan

Instructions

The Night Before

1. Make the soaker: Combine the cereal mix, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and cold water in a medium bowl. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature overnight, 8 to 12 hours.

2. Make the dough: In a separate bowl, combine both flours, the yeast, and the cold water. Stir to combine as best you can — the mixture will be very thick — then knead briefly with your hands until you have a cohesive mass. The dough will feel thick and clay-like. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight, 8 to 12 hours.

Baking Day

3. Prepare the pan: Grease a 13 x 4-inch Pullman pan and lid generously with butter, then dust with rye flour, including the inside of the lid. Set aside.

4. Mix: Combine the soaker, the flour mixture, salt, and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for 2 to 3 minutes until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Increase to medium and mix for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture will be quite sticky.

5. Shape and rise: Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sift a thin layer of rye flour over the surface. Slide the lid on and let rise at room temperature for 1½ to 3 hours, until the dough is about 1.5cm (½ inch) from the top of the pan. Rise time depends on your dough temperature and kitchen warmth.

6. First bake (covered): Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake with the lid on for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°F and continue to bake, covered, for another 15 minutes.

7. Second bake (uncovered): Remove the pan from the oven and carefully slide off the lid. Reduce heat to 325°F and bake uncovered for 45 minutes more.

8. Final bake: Turn the loaf out onto a metal cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Return the bare loaf to the oven and bake for a final 10 minutes to firm up the crust.

9. Cool: Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing, at least 3 hours. For the best texture, let the fully cooled loaf sit overnight at room temperature, loosely wrapped in foil, before slicing. The bread improves significantly after a day.

Notes

• Rye chops: Rugbrød is traditionally made with rye chops — uniformly cut pieces of rye grain, available from King Arthur Flour. Because they can be difficult to find, a whole-grain hot cereal mix such as Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Cereal makes an excellent substitute, containing a variety of coarsely milled whole grains including rye.

Storage

Keeps at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, loosely wrapped in foil. Slice before freezing for longer storage.

Source: Kristi