To modify the flavor of these cookies, add a little extra mincemeat or other spices.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 3 hrs |
| Total Time: | 3 hrs 15 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 1 1 1/2 pound loaf |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 cup rye flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 1 tablespoon caraway seed
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seed (Optional)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Instructions
- Place ingredients into the bread machine in order suggested by the manufacturer.
- Use the whole wheat, regular crust setting.
- After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on a cake rack, and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.
- To make this recipe in a stand mixer, combine all of the ingredients except the softened butter in the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed using the dough hook, scraping the dough down occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the softened butter and mix for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Flatten the dough pieces into rectangles, pressing down with your hands to pop any air bubbles. Fold the dough into thirds, rolling it slightly under your palms to form a loaf, and pinch the seam to seal. Place the loaves into the loaf pans, seam-side down, cover with a floured kitchen towel, and allow it to rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake the loaves in a preheated 400 degree oven (200 degrees C) until the crust is dark and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Reviews
This is a WOW recipe. I didn’t think it was going to rise, so I let it go 30 more minutes before baking. I cut it in half and made 2 bread balls. It rose like 2 footballs, and the softness is wonderful. I love rye bread and this recipe might be my go to if it stays fresher than the New York Rye on All Recipes. I also added more Kimmel seeds too.
I made this using a stand mixer, as I don’t own a bread machine. Followed the directions exactly. Found I needed at least another cup of bread flour in order for the dough to come together. The resulting bread was delicious! Breakfast toast with marmalade and cheese for the win.
I swapped butter for margarine and molasses for corn syrup. But the biggest change I made is that I used my own sourdough starter instead of dry yeast and had to convert the measurements to account for that change. I also baked it in my cast iron. Will definitely make it again and will add black cumin seeds as well.
Instead of using 2 bread pans I used a Sassafras French Bread Baker. Turned out great.
This didn’t make a dough. It made a gooey liquid that never did bake correctly. I wish I had read more reviews and had added more flour like others mentioned. When I looked in the bread machine and saw liquid instead of the ball of dough I was concerned. I’ve been making bread in a bread machine for over 20 years, so I should have gone with my gut and added more flour then. We ate the outside crust and threw the rest out. I even tried to finish baking it in the oven and it just didn’t work. I looked through my bread machine recipe book and sure enough this has way more liquid ingredients than any other recipe. 2 stars for potential flavor.
Great-tasting bread! I don’t have a bread machine anymore, so I used my stand mixer and baked it in the oven. This is the second time I’ve used this recipe and both times I’ve had to add a lot more flour. My advice is to add at least a half cup of the flour of your choice when first combining the ingredients, then add more if (when) needed. Also, the directions for oven-baking says to divide it for 2 loaves, but as you can see from the pic it would make 2 small loaves or 1 slightly large loaf.
Great bread. Even though I have a bread machine I prefer to make bread by hand. This came out delicious but huge. Next time I’ll make it into two loaves instead of one huge.
I have made this bread every week since I found this recipe. My husband and I are both hooked on this bread! I have made a couple of adjustments – I make strong coffee for part of the water. I use molasses instead of dark corn syrup, and don’t add the fennel seeds. I put all ingredients into mixing bowl after proofing the yeast. I use my kitchen aid stand mixer and let my dough hook do all work. In 10 to 12 minutes it is ready to rise… Very easy and delicious!!
I made some slight changes. First… I didn’t have any Dark Corn syrup.. so I used one Tablespoon light corn syrup, and one Tablespoon molasses. Also… I wanted more of a “rye” taste, so used 1 and 1/2 cups bread flour, and 2 cups rye flour. Turned out great. It will be my “go to” rye bread!
Comes out great every time!
I just made this bread for the first time and I was very surprised how well it came out. I eat Russian bread every day, I like Borodinskiy and Orlovsky which I get from Russian store, and this bread has a very similar taste and texture to both of those breads. I would definitely make this one again. Like others, I added only one and a quarter teaspoon of yeast, I use 1.5lb bread machine and the dough did not hit the lid as it was rising, I also used 2tbsp of molasses instead of corn syrup and I used whole rye flour and I did not add any seeds. Next time I will also add a bit more salt and sugar. Great bread! Update: made the bread again and had to add another star, it came out amazing. This time added 2 tsp of yeast, like the original recipe states (still no problem with dough raising excessively) . I decreased cocoa to 1 tbsp and coffee to 1/2 tsp to decrease the bitterness. Added 2 and 1/2 tbsp molasses to add a bit more sweetness, will probably add 3 tbsp next time.
This bread is mind blowingly good and I truly can’t understand why there are critical reviews at all. I did have to switch out margarine for canola oil and dark corn syrup for molasses (because that’s what I had available without going back to the store). Had a slice with butter and it just completely blew my mind, I bet it would be great with sauerkraut and cheese. I will have to test this theory when I get back from the store. Thanks for this incredibly awesome recipe, it is an instant favorite. 🙂
I don’t know what Russian black bread should taste like, but I didn’t care for the sour and strong taste of this by itself. That being said, I used it in the Ruben Casserole and also made a bread bowl out of it for the Dilly Rye Boat Dip (both on this site) and it was good in those recipes.
Texture is superb and the flavor is very good. I reduced oil to 1 Tb and added 2 Tb gluten, as I did not have bread flour.
Absolutely amazing flavor. Finely textured bread. By far, this is The best tasting bread i have ever made!!! Everyone loved it??
Very tasty, hearty bread. Great texture. Awesome warm and served with cream cheese or Neufchatel!
this is the bomb! TK U
Delicious bread! I love the flavor and texture. I did not have instant coffee granules, so I brewed an 8 oz cup of coffee to use in place of 1 cup of water. I also did not have dark corn syrup, but I had molasses, therefore, I made that substitution, like many other reviewers had done. I added fennel seeds even though it is optional and I am very happy that I did. I think that the seeds help give the bread more depth in flavor. I followed the instructions for making the dough on a stand mixer exactly as written, but I shaped the dough into a boule for a rustic-looking bread. I baked my bread in a pre-heated bare cast iron Dutch oven — the resulting bread has a crispy crust, but the interior is super ultra soft, tender, pillowy and light as a cloud! I will definitely make this again! I really enjoy it very much!
I goofed and put the ingredients in the bread machine in the wrong order – so the dough was way too wet in the beginning. I added more wheat flour during the kneading cycle and saved the dough. It turned out well and my colleagues at work devoured the bread. **Note: I used molasses instead of corn syrup.
This was a really good bread, but I will tweak it to my tastes. I followed one reviewers suggestion to add 2 teaspoons of onion powder; if I add it at all it will be 1 teaspoon, but the bread probably doesn’t need it. I also followed the suggestion to use molasses instead of dark corn syrup, which I liked. Next time I plan on using a full envelope (1 tablespoon) of yeast instead of 2 teaspoons as the bread was a little dense for me. I may also increase the caraway and fennel seeds. The fennel gave a pleasant and surprising pop of flavor every now and then. I used all purpose flour instead of bread flour. It’s a good bread and worth making. I don’t have a bread machine, so I kneaded the bread for around 15 minutes, then let it rise for an hour. I shaped it into a loaf, slashed the top and let it rise for around 30 minutes then cooked it at 350 for 35 minutes. I think I will try 375 next time for a slightly crunchier crust.
I left out brown sugar and coffee(as I dont use) and it was still too sweet until I added butter. Otherwise, it was a good loaf, but I think I will stick to my other recipe