{BBB} Russian Black Bread

Since I was very young, I have always had it in mind that one place I would like to visit is Moscow, Russia. I am not sure what caused me to come to that conclusion, but I know that hearing the stories of how the government treated the citizens made me want to go and see for myself. Sadly, I have yet to go and stand in Red Square.

But, a young friend of mine is leaving this week to study abroad in none other than Russia! It was not her first choice, in fact it wasn’t her choice at all. But as often things take unexpected turns, her desire to study abroad is taking her to a few different cities in a country I have only dreamed of visiting.

How fitting that today, the Bread Baking Babes are baking up rick, dark loaves of Russian Black Bread! While not only amazing that I was able to bake this up; it was more amazing that all the mistakes I made turned out one of the softest, most delicious breads I have ever baked! Most of these measurements were not honestly measured. The steps I have altered to how I did this – and as you may notice from other Babes…I did it all wrong! But it turned out completely right.

Tonight, my friend and her family are enjoying Russian Black Bread as she packs everything into her suitcases and prepares her farewells to board a plane for Russia itself. Now she has a taste for what is yet to come!

Russian Black Bread

SOURDOUGH
300 grams of rye flour
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of instant yeast

SOAKER
2 cups of loosely packed, cubed, toasted bread
1/4 cup of ground coffee
1/4 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of molasses
1/4 cup of minced white onion
1 2/3 cup of hot (but not boiling) water

FINAL DOUGH
350 grams of rye flour
350 grams of bread flour
1 1/2 tablespoon of salt
2 teaspoons of instant yeast

1. Mix the sourdough ingredients together in a bowl, loosely cover and leave for 16 hours at room temperature.

2. Add the soaker ingredients. Cover and leave about 6 hours at room temperature.

3. Add half of the each flour, salt and yeast and stir the dough. Continue to add about 1/2 cup of the flours at a time and work until the flour is completely absorbed before you add the next round. The dough shall be firm but still quite sticky. You might not use all the flour, or you might need to add more flour, all depending on the flour used.

4. Place the dough in an oiled container, cover with plastic and leave for 2–3 hours or until doubled in size.

5. Divide the dough in two and shape the parts into oblong loaves. Cover loosely and leave for 60 minutes. Don’t over-proof!

6. Preheat the oven to 435F. Put 3–4 ice cubes in a metal container in the bottom of the oven. Bake loaves for 10 minutes.

7. Open the oven door to vent out some moist. At the same time, lower the temperature to 400F. Bake another 30 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped underneath, or when the inner temperature has reached about 207F. Let the loaves cool down before you slice them.

Russian Black Bread is being served up as the Bread Baking Babes challenge of the month. This months challenge was hosted by Gorel of Grain Doe, August’s kitchen of the month. You too can be a bread baking buddy and earn a badge! You have until September 7h to bake this bread. Check out further details on becoming a buddy on Grain Doe. Or enjoy one of the other Bread Baking Challenge breads which I have baked.