Favourite Peasant Bread

This peasant bread loads four grains into one rustic loaf, with rye flour, bran, cornmeal, and standard all-purpose flour all sharing space alongside warm molasses and caraway seeds. The result is a dense, dark, slightly sweet bread that holds up to a thick smear of butter, a slab of cheese, or a bowl of cold-day stew.

Molasses is what gives the loaf its deep color and rich, almost smoky undertone. Combined with the rye flour’s earthiness, the bran’s chewy bite, and the caraway’s bright anise-like pop, this bread tastes far more complex than a simple yeast loaf has any right to.

Pro Tips

• Heat the liquids to the called-for 115 to 120°F (46 to 49°C). Hotter than 130°F (54°C) kills the yeast outright, while cooler liquid takes ages to activate the rise.
• Knead the full 6 to 8 minutes. Rye flour has less gluten than wheat, and the all-purpose flour needs proper kneading to develop structure that supports the heavier grains.
• The dough should be moderately stiff, not soft. Wet, slack dough collapses during the second rise and you get flat, dense loaves instead of risen ones.
• Cool the loaves completely on a rack before slicing. Hot bread tears under a knife, and the crumb hasn’t fully set in the first 30 minutes.

Variations

• Swap caraway seeds for fennel seeds or anise seeds for a slightly different aromatic profile.
• Add a handful of sunflower seeds or toasted pumpkin seeds to the dough for crunch.
• Brush the loaves with milk or beaten egg before baking for a deeper golden crust and a softer top.