Easy Homemade Russian Black Bread Recipe: Step-by-Step Guide

Russian Black Bread is a rustic, hearty, deep, and dark bread made with a mix of flours and a strong hint of caraway and coffee flavors. Molasses, coffee, cocoa, and rye flour give this a characteristic dark color, which is why it is famously known as black bread.

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Homemade Russian Black Bread Recipe: Step-by-Step Guide

Russian Black Bread Recipe:

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Baking time: 45 minutes
• Medium of Cooking: Oven
• Level of Difficulty: Medium
• Category: Bread
• Servings: 1 Loaf

Ingredients:

• Whole-wheat flour 1/4 cup
• Rye flour 1 cup
• All-purpose flour (maida ) 1 and ½ cups
• Unsweetened cocoa powder 25g
• Caraway seeds ( ajwain) 1 tablespoons
• Fennel seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt 1 tablespoon
• Instant coffee powder ½ tablespoon
• Active dry yeast 12g
• Pinch of sugar
• Lukewarm water 1/4 cup
• Molasses 2 Tablespoon
• Apple cider vinegar 2 Tablespoon

Method:

In a cup or a bowl combine yeast and sugar with warm water, and let it stand for 10 minutes till it becomes frothy

Heat one cup of water, switch off the heat, and add butter, molasses, vinegar, and cocoa powder, mix well with a fork or spoon keep it aside, and cool till it becomes lukewarm.

Combine whole wheat, rye, and white flour. Now in a large bowl take 1 cup of mixed flour, add caraway seeds, fennel seeds, coffee powder, yeast, and sugar mixture plus cocoa mixture and mix to combine them well.

Add the remaining mixed flour and knead the dough on a counter until springy and smooth. Always add flour in small batches. In another bowl which is bigger in size, place this dough and brush the top with oil, and cover it with a cling film. Place the bowl it in a warm place till the dough is doubled in size. Once the dough is doubled punch it once and deflate it. Form a loaf in the shape of your liking round or rectangle as you like, and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and once again place it for the second rising in a warm place. It will take approximately 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the weather. Sprinkle it with whole wheat flour once again and bake at 180 C or 350°F in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack before slicing through it.

Serving:

Lather it with butter and eat just like that Or, grill it under a broiler topped with your favourite melted cheese the chew texture and hearty texture never fails to please the break lovers. Serve it with hot stew to make for a hearty dinner, the Russian black bread is a delight to enjoy in winter.