Rye and Caraway Bread

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, combine the rye flour, water and yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit overnight at room temperature (12 hours).

Add the bread flour, whole wheat flour, molasses and salt to the bowl of dough. Knead with the dough hook, or on a floured surface with your hands, until smooth, about 10 minutes. Add the caraway seeds and continue to knead for about 1 minute or until well distributed throughout the dough.

On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and punch out the air. Flatten into a large rectangle and fold the dough onto itself in thirds to form a long rectangle. Fold the long rectangle onto itself in thirds to form a square. Shape into a ball and return to the bowl. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. Repeat the folding process.

Shape the dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured circle of parchment paper, slightly larger than the bread. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 more hour.

In the last 30 minutes of rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a 4.1 L Chef's Dutch Oven with the lid on the middle rack of the oven as it preheats.

When ready to bake, score the top of the bread with a sharp knife or razor.

Remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid. Carefully transfer the dough with the parchment paper to the pot. Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). Remove the lid and bake for another 30 minutes or until the loaf is beautifully browned and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). Remove from the oven.

When cool enough to handle, transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.