Berghoff Home Rye
The traditional Berghoff Rye Bread served at the restaurant was made on the premises by a professional baker and baked in steam-injected ovens. The bread started with a rye sourdough starter and rose twice. The result was a whooping three-pound loaf. We have adapted this recipe for the home cook. Yogurt provides the familiar tangy taste without the need for a sourdough starter. The recipe can be mixed by hand or made in a heavy-duty stand mixer. It’s important to use rapid-rise active dry yeast (or break machine yeast), rather than plain active dry yeast. Rapid-rise is a strain of yeast that is superactive and can be mixed in with the dry ingredients.
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus extra for kneading
1 cup stone-ground rye flour, plus extra as needed
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope rapid-rise active dry yeast or bread machine yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup whole-milk or low-fat plain yogurt (do not use fat-free), at room temperature
Oil, as needed, for bowl and bread pan
Directions:
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the unbleached flour and 1 coup of the rye flour, and the yeast, sugar, caraway seeds, and salt. Mix on low speed.
Add the yogurt, and mix with the paddle until combined. Turn off the mixer. Scrape down the paddle with a rubber spatula, and remove. Replace with the dough hook. Using the dough hook on low speed, knead for 10 minutes, adding additional rye flour by the tablespoon (anywhere from 2 to 8 tablespoons), until the dough is well formed and leaves the sides of the bowl.
Alternatively: Mix by hand in a 6-quart bowl, using a whisk to combine the dry ingredients and then a large, sturdy spoon to stir the dough. You may knead the dough by hand directly in the bowl, adding rye flour, until it becomes cohesive and leaves the side of the bowl.
Turn out the dough onto a surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour, and knead to shape into a ball. Lightly oil a large bowl. Put in the dough, turning once so the oiled side is on top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm (85°F) place until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Turn out the dough onto a surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour. Punch down, knead briefly, and shape into a rough rectangle. With a rolling pin, press the dough into a more even rectangle, about 12 by 8 inches.
Then, using your hands, roll up the dough into a tight cylinder, 8 inches long. Taper the ends. Set on a lightly oiled flat baking pan. Or, you may place the shaped dough in an oiled 8 ½-inch long by 5-inch wide by 3-inch deep metal or glass loaf pan.
Cover with a lint-free, clean kitchen towel that has been wetted and wrung almost dry. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. With a sharp, serrated knife, horizontally slash across the top of the loaf in three places, and place in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, until browned on top. Transfer from the pan to a metal rack. Let cool completely before slicing.