Polish Sauerkraut Bread

Total Time Prep: 20 min. + rising Bake: 30 min. + cooling
Yield 2 loaves (16 slices)
Test Kitchen Approved
Hearty, chewy slices of this light rye bread are terrific by themselves or with a favorite meal.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3/4 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
  • Cornmeal

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, rye flour, sugar, salt and yeast. In a saucepan, heat water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in sauerkraut and enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a soft dough.
  2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into two loaves, about 9 in. long. Grease two baking sheets or 9x5-in. loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
  4. Lightly brush tops of loaves with water. With a very sharp knife, make four to five diagonal slashes across the top of each loaf. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
Hearty, chewy slices of this light rye bread are terrific by themselves or with a favorite meal.
Recipe Creator

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