Rye Bread with Sunflower and Sesame Seeds

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Dough base

1. 1
   Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the lukewarm water and leave about 5 minutes, until the mixture foams.

   💡If the mixture doesn't foam in that time, the yeast is no longer active, or the water was too hot. Start over with fresh yeast and body-temperature water.
2. 2
   Mix the flour, rye flour and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
3. 3
   Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
4. 4
   Add the sunflower seeds and Knead another 5 minutes, just until it is evenly spread through the dough.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer

   💡Seeds, olives and herbs go in at the end, once the dough is already smooth: that way they don't tear the gluten during kneading, and the olives don't get crushed.
5. 5
   Cover and Let rise 1 hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   ⚙ ProofingPlastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.

To assemble

1. 6
   Shape the dough into an oblong loaf and place it in Greased baking pan.

   Loaf pan

   💡Shape a tight loaf the length of the pan: it fills the pan evenly, and the bread rises tall instead of spreading sideways.
2. 7
   Brush the top of the loaf with a little water and sprinkle the sesame seeds over it.

   Pastry brush

   💡A thin layer of water is what makes the topping stick to the dough: on a dry loaf the seeds don't hold, and fall off when you slice.
3. 8
   Cover and Let rise 30 minutes, until the loaf has risen.

   ⚙ ProofingPlastic wraporKitchen towel
4. 9
   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
5. 10
   Bake 35–40 minutes, until the loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

   ⚙ BakingOvenLoaf pan

   💡Tapping the bottom of the loaf is the test: baked bread sounds hollow; if the sound is dull, put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
6. 11
   Turn the loaf out of the pan and let cool on a rack before slicing.

   Cooling rack

   💡Bread left in the hot pan sweats, and its crust softens: turn it out right away and cool it on a rack.