Today's Adventure - German Rye Bread

Beer and sauerkraut - can't get any more German than that!  Well, those are two of the ingredients in this recipe - sounds intriguing doesn't it!  I thought so, too!  The two just go hand in a hand - beer and sauerkraut, makes me want to go out and pet a dachshund! 

Back to the recipe . . . perfect day in Cincinnati for baking.  Another cold, dreary and rainy Cincinnati day.  Nothing better to do than bake (I guess I could always clean the house - yeah right!). 

I found this recipe on the Cookingbread.com.  Boy, does this website have some really neat bread recipes.   Here is the recipe:

Savory German Rye Bread

Makes 2 loaves

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups flour (I assume all purpose flour - it doesn't say)
1/4 cup cocoa (yep, cocoa - like for hot chocolate!)
3 t caraway seeds
2 t salt
4 t instant yeast
12 oz. can of dark beer (must be DARK beer like an ale - sorry Budweiser won't work here)
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup oil (guessing vegetable oil or olive oil)
1 egg
1 cup sauerkraut, well drained
3 cups light rye flour

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the white flour, cocoa, caraway seeds salt and yeast,  Mix together.
In a sauce pan pour in beer, milk, molasses and oil.  Heat to 110F.  Stir because the oil will float to the top.

Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and add the egg.  Mix for 3 minutes.
Add in drained sauerkraut and enough rye flour to create a stiff dough.   (Here I just added the sauerkraut - at the point, the dough almost looks like brownie mix!)

Knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl and allow to raise for 1 hour.**
Punch down dough and divide into 2 loaves. 
Shape into round loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet.  I used parchment paper instead greasing the cookie sheet.  It is your choice, either works fine.

Cover with saran wrap and a clean dish towel.  Let rise for 45 minutes.
Heat oven to 375.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.
Cool.

ENJOY!!

**If it is cool or cold in your house, a good place to let your dough rise if you don't have proofing box is in your oven with the oven light on.  Just make sure you remember that you have bread in there and don't turn the oven on to bake something else!


NOTES

Your house will smell like sauerkraut! 

I got good rises out of this bread.  I haven't tried it yet.  Waiting for my husband to come home since I made this bread for him.  He is the "rye bread" lover in our family.

The bread doesn't seem heavy.  Alot of the rye bread recipes I have made turn out like bricks.

Final note - My husband liked the bread.  I didn't.  Too much chocolate taste, no rye tasate.  Not sure I would make it again unless he really wanted.  Maybe I will do it again and eliminate the cocoa.  If you make it, please post your comments on what you thought.