Icelandic Rye Bread (Rúgbrauð)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center position.

Step 2

, Weigh your flour or measure it by gently spooning into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.

Step 3

, In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Step 4

, In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, honey, and molasses.

Step 5

, Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.

Step 6

, Transfer the batter to a lightly greased 9” pain de mie (pullman) pan and smooth the top. Lightly grease the lid, and place the lid on the pan.

Step 7

, Bake the bread for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and remove the lid from the pan. Leave the loaf in the turned-off oven for another 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

Step 8

, Cool completely before slicing thinly and serving with butter or your favorite savory toppings. Pickled herring and smoked salmon are traditional, but cheese (anything from salty aged to soft mild) certainly wouldn’t be amiss, either.

Step 9

, Store leftover bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.