This simple rye bread is easy and good! It has a crunchy crust and is dense but soft in the middle. The bread has a definite sourdough tang, yet it's gently sweetened with raisins--I use golden raisins--and gets a bit more sweetness and crunch from chopped pecans. Low in sugar and high in whole-grain fiber, the bread is great if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy" (in moderation, as always!). I like to make the bread in the air fryer, which gives the bread a slightly crispier crust than the regular oven (plus using the air fryer saves on electricity). The bread slices and keeps well and is perfect for breakfast or alongside soups and salads. Or try the bread with cheese or peanut butter as a simple, nutritious snack. Enjoy!
Sourdough Rye Bread With Raisins and Pecans -- Makes 2 Small/Medium Loaves
1 cup of starter/discard
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup of white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup of milk
2-3 tablespoons of date puree (or use brown sugar, if you're not diabetic)
1/2 cup of rye flour (I use medium rye flour)
In a large bowl mix together well the starter/discard, oil, egg, white whole-wheat flour, milk and date puree. Stir in the rye flour until completely combined. Loosely cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for at least an hour. I usually let my mixture sit for around four hours (for example, from after breakfast to after lunch). When you're ready, add to the mixture:
1 1/2 cups of rye flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
Mix in, then knead in the rye flour and salt, kneading the dough for 3-5 minutes and adding in a little more rye flour (about 1/4 cup) to prevent the dough from being too sticky to knead. Knead in:
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
Divide the dough into two equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball (or make oblong regular loaves, if you prefer). Spritz two 6-inch round pans with non-stick cooking spray and place a dough ball in each pan. Spritz the dough balls with a little non-stick cooking spray or canola oil spray and loosely cover them with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it increases in volume by about one third.
Air Fryer: Air fry the breads at 320 degrees for about 35 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 190-200 degrees.
Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the breads for about 40 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 190-200 degrees.
Let the breads cool completely before trying to slice them. They'll slice much better when cool, and you can toast individual slices.
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