Czech Rye Bread (Chleba)

Czech rye bread on a wooden spoon, wrapped in kitchen cloth.

Nothing brings back memories of the Czech Republic like the smell of freshly baked bread! This is a recipe for wheat and rye bread made with yeast and spiced with caraway. Let’s dive into a world of real flavor and get baking!

Course bread

Cuisine Czech

Keyword traditional Czech food

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Rising time 2 45

Total Time 3 45

Servings loaf

Calories 2242kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Equipment

Dutch Oven ø11 inches (28 cm)

Ingredients

1st dough (yeast starter):

1 cup rye bread (130 g)
⅔ cup lukewarm water (160 ml) 110-115°F
1 teaspoon honey
1 and ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

2nd dough (add to the starter):

3 cups all-purpose flour (390 g)
⅔ cup lukewarm water (180 ml)
3 teaspoons caraway seeds crushed
1 small potato boiled, shredded; or 2 Tbsp mashed potatoes
2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1st bread dough (yeast starter):

Sift the rye flour into a bowl and mix it with the dry yeast. Dissolve the honey or sugar in lukewarm water and pour it into the bowl of flour. Use a wooden spoon to make a thick dough. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 60 minutes - I put the dough in my oven with a pot of hot water on the bottom.

2nd bread dough (add to the starter):

Add all-purpose flour, crushed caraway seeds, salt, shredded boiled potato (or mashed potato puree), and lukewarm water to the fermented starter.
Stir with a wooden spoon, then turn the mass onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough well by hand. The dough is quite sticky, so expect to end up with some dough on your hands.
Return the dough to the bowl and let it rise for another 45–60 minutes. I put the dough back in the oven to proof.
Prepare a round bowl and a clean tea towel. Dust the cloth evenly with flour and line the bowl with it. Carefully transfer the raised dough to a bowl lined with a floured tea towel. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes.
About half an hour before the bread is proofed, turn the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place the Dutch oven, including the lid, in the preheated oven and let it heat up.
Prepare a cooling rack and heat-resistant oven gloves on the table next to the oven. Open the oven and, if it has telescopic rails, slide them and the pre-heated dish out. With gloves on, carefully remove the lid and place it on the cooling rack.
Put the raised bread into the pot. Cover it with the lid, slide the rails back in, and close the oven door. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C), and bake for another 10 minutes or until a crusty skin forms.
Turn out the bread and place it on a cooling rack. Leave to cool for at least two hours before slicing with a knife.

Notes

Makes 1 round loaf 9 inches (22 cm), weighing 28 ounces (800 g), about 15-18 slices.
SERVING: Bohemian rye bread is the staple of Czech cuisine. It is usually eaten sliced, spread with butter and jam, with honey, or topped with ham, salami, or cheese. Enjoy a slice of fresh, buttered bread for breakfast, a snack, or dinner. Bread is also a great accompaniment to soups; this combo makes a great light lunch.
Wrap the bread in a clean tea towel and store in a bread bin. When completely cooled, the bread can be stored in a plastic bag.
FREEZING: Czech bread freezes great! Freeze it as soon as it cools after baking. I recommend cutting it into slices beforehand. That way you don't have to defrost the whole loaf when you want a slice for breakfast or a snack.
In the recipe, I combine two types of flour: finely ground whole-wheat rye flour and all-purpose flour. If you are comfortable with the basic recipe, feel free to play around with combining other flours or adjusting the ratio. The more rye flour, the less fluffy and dense the bread will be, with a more intense flavor.

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