Preparation Inline ingredients (beta)
Cook mode
Step 1 In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it starts to bubble and foam. Add the first clear flour, rye flour, rye sour starter, salt, and caraway seeds. Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly incorporated.
Step 2 Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Use a bowl scraper or dough cutter in one hand to help knead the soft, wet dough. Knead for 5 minutes by scraping, folding, pulling, and stretching. The dough should have some elasticity and resist being stretched. Add more first clear flour ¼ cup at a time if the dough does not feel elastic. Continue kneading for another 3 minutes.
Step 3 Transfer the dough to a clean, wet bowl. Keeping your hands wet, pat the dough down and cover with a very thin film of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, allowing the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.
Step 4 Prepare a baking sheet sprinkled with a mixture of cornmeal and rye flour.
Step 5 Wet a clean work surface with water. Keeping your hands wet, scoop out half of the dough and shape into a round. Allow the dough to stand no longer than 10 minutes; it can be placed in the oven without any standing time.
Step 6 Place an empty broiler pan on the oven floor and preheat at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Step 7 Brush the loaves with water. Place the baking sheet holding the bread on the middle rack of the oven, or on an oven stone if you have one. Carefully add 6 to 8 ice cubes or 1 cup hot water to the broiler pan on the bottom of the oven and immediately close the oven door.
Step 8 Bake for 5 minutes, then remove the broiler pan. Slide the bread out and, with a skewer, make 10 to 12 holes all around the crust of each loaf, then return the bread to the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 10 minutes, then make holes once more and brush again with water.
Step 9 Continue to bake until the crust is hard and unyielding to gentle pressure, which can take up to 1 hour or longer. The timing will vary depending on the amount of moisture in the dough.
Step 10 Remove the bread from the oven, brush the tops with more water and let cool on a wire rack. The bread will keep for up to 1 week wrapped in plastic wrap, and also freezes well.
