Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
Pre-ferment
- 1/2 cup dark beer or 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup rye flour, preferably stone-ground
- 1/4 t active dry or instant yeast
Grains
- 1/2 cup cracked rye or wheat berries
- 1/2 cup flaxseeds
- 1/2 cup hulled, unsalted raw sunflower seeds
Bread
- Softened butter, for the pan
- 3 T unsulphured molasses
- 1 and 1/2 cups rye flour, preferably stone-ground
- 1/2 cup bread flour
- 2 t kosher salt
- 2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 t active dry or instant yeast
- Sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and old-fashioned oats, optional, for topping
Honey Butter
- 1 12-oz. container salted whipped butter, at room temperature
- Honey to taste (about 3-4 T)
The night before you want to bake the bread, make the pre-ferment: in a large bowl, stir together the beer, buttermilk, rye flour and yeast to make a thick paste. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight, until bubbly.
The same night, combine the cracked rye or wheat berries, flaxseeds and sunflower seeds in a medium bowl or lidded container. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight.
The next day, butter a 4x9-inch loaf pan or a 5-9-inch loaf pan and set aside. Drain the seeds well over a large measuring cup to reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking water (if you don't have enough for 1/2 cup, fill in with additional tap water). Put the seeds in the bowl with the pre-ferment. Add the molasses and soaking water and stir to combine. Add the rye flour, bread flour, salt, cocoa, and yeast and stir to make a thick, sticky batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread in an even layer. Cover and let sit until risen by about a third, about 2 hours (if using a 5x9 pan, cover with greased plastic to avoid sticking since the dough will come close to the top).
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush the top of the loaf lightly with water to help the seeds stick. Sprinkle the top with the sunflower and flaxseeds and oats, if using. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until a tester inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean and the internal temperature is 210 degrees. Begin checking for doneness at 1 hour 40 minutes but be prepared to bake for up to 20 to 30 minutes more because those last few degrees can really make you wait for em. Cover loosely with foil at the top if it appears to be getting too dark for your liking. Toss a kitchen towel over the pan and cool on a rack for 30 minutes. I know it's always tempting to slice into warm bread, but in this case, it's really important to let it cool completely. Otherwise, it'll be weirdly gooey and hard to slice.
This bread is delicious the day it is made but even better the next day. Store in a bread box or paper bag at room temperature for up to a few days or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a few months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat individual slices in a toaster or skillet.
For the butter: place in a small mixing bowl and using a small whisk, slowly add honey 1 T at a time, to taste.
