Estonian Leib Sourdough Bread (Printable Version)

A dark rye loaf featuring malt and caraway notes, ideal for pairing with savory accompaniments.

# What You'll 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, stir together the rye sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and molasses until fully dissolved.
02 - Add dark rye flour, bread flour, malt powder, caraway seeds, and salt. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms.
03 - Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight, until the dough has expanded and is bubbly.
04 - Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper or lightly greasing it. Transfer the dough into the pan and smooth the surface with a wet spatula. Optionally, sprinkle caraway seeds on top. Cover and allow to rise for 2 to 4 hours until nearly reaching the pan's rim.
05 - Preheat the oven to 430°F. Place a pan of hot water on the lowest rack to generate steam during baking.
06 - Bake the loaf on the middle rack at 430°F for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for 30 minutes, or until the crust is dark and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
07 - Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It fills your kitchen with an aroma so deep and complex that neighbors will knock on your door asking what you're baking.
  • Once you've made it once, the rhythm becomes almost meditative—long fermentation means you're not fussing constantly.
  • A single loaf feeds you for days, and each slice tastes better with butter, smoked fish, or sharp cheese than anything store-bought ever could.
02 -
  • Rye dough never rises as dramatically as wheat dough, and that's not a failure—if you're waiting for it to double, you'll be waiting forever; watch instead for the subtle spreading and bubbling on the surface.
  • If your kitchen is cold, the fermentation will take longer, and that's a gift because slower fermentation means more flavor development and a better keeping loaf.
  • The hollow-tap test is real—when the loaf sounds like wood rather than dense matter, it's truly done, even if you think the crust should be darker.
03 -
  • Keep your rye starter at room temperature and feed it once or twice a week—it's more resilient than wheat starter and actually prefers the cooler, wetter conditions that rye baking demands.
  • If your house is particularly warm, extend the first rise to 14–16 hours and watch for the dough to spread sideways rather than up—rye's natural behavior in heat.
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