Danish Rye Sourdough is a dense, seed-studded Nordic loaf made with rye flour, whole rye kernels, and a 12-hour levain that bakes low and slow for 2.5–3 hours. Its long shelf life (10–14 days) and excellent freezer storage make it ideal for batch baking.
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In a large mixing bowl combine the active starter with 470 grams of rye flour and water. Let this mixture ferment for 12 hours at room temperature (or 24 hours in a cool place like a cold garage or refrigerator). The bowl should be large enough to accommodate all the ingredients in the later steps.
At the same time that you start the levain, combine all the whole seeds in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let sit at room temperature to soak and soften until ready to use them.
Drain the seeds and allow them to drip dry in a sieve while you prepare the rest of the dough.
Add the water and molasses (or beer if you are trying that variation) to the levain and stir to dissolve. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the drained seeds. Mix the dough with your hands or a spatula until all the flour is well incorporated. This dough will resemble wet concrete at this stage.
Let this dough ferment for just a short while longer. About 30-60 minutes. Do not stretch, fold, or kneed it.
Generously oil or butter 3 loaf pans. Divide the dough between the 3 loaf pans. Smooth the top over with the back of a spoon or a spatula or wet hands. If desired, you could sprinkle or decorate with more seeds. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap for another 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Set the loaf pans on a baking sheet and bake the loaves for 2 1/2 – 3 hours (see note). If they are getting too brown, cover with tin foil around the second hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 1 hour in the pan. Then remove the loaves from the pan and set them on a drying rack to cool the rest of the way.
Once completely cooled, wrap them tightly to store. The loaf is even better the next day, but who can wait that long. That’s why you made 3 of them😉. They will last 10-14 days on the counter or you could freeze them.
Wrap completely cooled loaves tightly and store at room temperature for 10–14 days, or freeze for extended storage. No slicing or reheating needed; these loaves are equally good fresh or at room temperature.
3 loaf pans (standard 9x5 inch or equivalent) · baking sheet · sieve or colander for draining seeds
Yes. Divide the total dough weight by 3 and scale all ingredients proportionally. Baking time at 300°F may decrease slightly for smaller pans; check doneness around 2 hours.
You can substitute additional sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or all rye flour. If omitting seeds entirely, reduce salt to 20 grams and increase boiling water slightly since seeds absorb less water than rye kernels.
Bake for 2.5–3 hours at 300°F. If the tops brown too quickly, cover with foil around the 1-hour mark. They're done when set and firm throughout.
They last 10–14 days wrapped tightly at room temperature, or freeze for longer storage. Wrap completely cooled loaves before storing.
This recipe relies on sourdough's long fermentation for flavor and shelf life. Fresh yeast will require different hydration and timing; sourdough starter is essential to the recipe as written.
