The perfect, simply divine bread—mildly spiced, great for any sandwich and practically anything else. It’s easy to make, stays fresh for a long time, and what’s more, it gets even tastier with time. But chances are, you’ll finish it within the first couple of days. I found this recipe in my favorite book by Ida Savi and tweaked it a little.
For two loaves approximately 650 g each you will need:
250 ml buttermilk; 21 g fresh or 7 g dry yeast; ½ teaspoon sugar; 180 g honey or barley malt syrup; 1 tablespoon caraway seeds; ½ tablespoon anise seeds; 1 tablespoon orange or mandarin zest; 1 teaspoon salt; 25 g softened margarine; 350–400 g rye flour; 200 g wheat flour
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm buttermilk, add sugar and 100 g of wheat flour, and leave the mixture for 10–15 minutes to ferment. Then add the warm (no more than 40°C / 104°F) honey or barley malt syrup, spices, softened margarine and the remaining flour. Knead a smooth dough, cover the bowl tightly and leave to rise. When the dough doubles in size, shape it into two oblong loaves, make cuts on the top with a knife, and let it rise for another half hour. Brush with sweet or honey water and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 356°F for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry. Enjoy your meal!
P.S. This bread tastes better on the second or third day after baking.
