Estonian Dark Sourdough Bread (Printable)

A hearty dark rye bread with malt and caraway seeds offering aromatic, robust flavors and a dense crumb.

# What you need:

→ Sourdough Starter

01 - 3.5 oz active rye sourdough starter

→ Dough

02 - 14 oz dark rye flour
03 - 3.5 oz bread flour (wheat)
04 - 10 fl oz lukewarm water
05 - 1.75 oz dark rye malt or barley malt powder
06 - 2 tbsp molasses or dark honey
07 - 1 tbsp caraway seeds
08 - 2 tsp fine sea salt

→ Topping

09 - 1 tsp caraway seeds, optional for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, blend the active rye sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and molasses until fully dissolved.
02 - Add the dark rye flour, bread flour, malt powder, caraway seeds, and salt to the liquid mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until forming a thick, sticky dough.
03 - Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight, until noticeably expanded and bubbly.
04 - Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Transfer the risen dough into the pan and smooth the surface with a wet spatula. Optionally, sprinkle with additional caraway seeds.
05 - Cover the pan and let the dough rise for an additional 2 to 4 hours, until it nearly reaches the rim of the pan.
06 - Set the oven to 430°F (220°C) and place a pan of hot water on the lowest rack to create steam during baking.
07 - Place the loaf on the middle rack and bake at 430°F (220°C) for 15 minutes to develop the crust.
08 - Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 30 minutes or until the crust is dark brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
09 - Remove the bread from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack prior to slicing.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of bread that actually improves with age, tasting better on day three than it does fresh from the oven.
  • One loaf keeps you fed all week, wrapped in a kitchen towel like a secret.
  • The caraway and malt create a flavor so distinctive that people will ask what bakery you found it at.
02 -
  • If your starter isn't truly active and fed before you start, this bread will taste sour and stay dense—it's the first thing I learned the hard way.
  • Rye dough is never going to feel like wheat dough; it's sticky and loose and that's exactly right, so stop fighting it and trust the process.
  • The longer this bread sits wrapped in a towel after baking, the softer the crust becomes and the flavor deepens—day three is honestly better than day one.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, the first rise will take longer—don't panic, just give it the time it needs; cold fermentation actually makes better flavor anyway.
  • Toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to really unlock their personality—it's a small move that changes everything.
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