It has been a while since I acutally made this rye bread, but I am feeling rather burnt out on typing all these directions.  So please oh please, make some of these breads, so all my efforts are not in vain.  It will be fun, I promise.

This one I cannot pass a true judgement on because I used white whole wheat flour for the whole thing quite by accident!  It took me a week to realize why it was so tough.  It was baffling.  Regardless, it was a beauty and makes a large amount of bread to enjoy.

light rye-

stir together 1.5 cups of white rye flour and 3 cups of white flour, pinch of salt, 2 tsp. yeast, and 1.5 tsp. of caraway seeds.  Dd 1 tablespoon of molasses, 2 tablespoons of softened butter, and 1.25 cups of water.  Mix until it becomes a ball adding more water only if necessary.  Knead for about 8 minutes and place in a buttered bowl covered with a towel.

dark rye-

mix same ratio of flour and salt and yeast, molasses, caraway seeds, and butter together then add in 2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder.  Knead for 8 minutes and place in a buttered bowl with a towel on top.  Let rise for about an hour and a half until doubled.

To marble-

There are three ways you can marble.  You can flatten both the light and dark rye, place one on top of the other and tightly roll them up.  Or you can roll a log with half the dark and flatten the rest rolling them up around the log to form a bull’s eye, or you can chunk up each and smash them together all willy nilly.  Each will make two loaves no matter which way you marble it.  Place them into a buttered bread pan and let rise until about an inch over the top of the pan.

Brush with a beaten egg and one tsp. of water.  Place into a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until it registers at 190 or until it sounds good and hollow when you tap the bottom.

And for the sculpted dough bread….

Odd choice I am sure, but with a sick boy watching (gasp!) a movie… I decided to do something fun.  My Nana gave me a ginormous tub full of magazines, patterns, ideas and general crafting glory a few months back and I will tell you, it is the gift that keeps on giving.  I found this inside a Decorating and Craft Ideas Magazine, which sadly is no longer being published.  This magazine is so glorious.  It has everything from needle point to painting to baking to weaving pine needles for goodness sake!  It is the thing (my) dreams are made of.

So off with you!  Follow my directions, make your family something soothing and crisp on a cold november night.  You only have 48 to choose from!  Whew!