Welcome back, Maple Trout Lilli! Let’s see what maple innovations emerge this year from her cheery kitchen at the top of sixteen stone steps.
She writes:
When I woke this morning it was 11 degrees and sunny. While I waited for the temps to rise I decided today was the day for the first MTL post.
I don’t think I’ve made any maple recipes that have caraway as an ingredient, but I’m glad I decided to try this. It’s a combo you won’t want to miss. And of course, if you’re not a caraway fan, feel free to omit. This easy, one loaf bread is tangy, with a hearty, chewy texture, and with just the right amount of sweetness. It was so delicious, I’m making another loaf….what with St. Paddy’s Day only a few week away, it’s made for corned beef sandwiches.
MAPLE RYE BREAD
Neutral tones for quiet elegance.
3 cups (384g) bread flour
1 cup (96g) rye or dark rye flour
2 teaspoons (10g) Diamond kosher salt
2 teaspoons (10g) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (9g) caraway seeds
1.75 (395g) water
2 tablespoons (42g) maple syrup
2 tablespoons (28g) extra virgin olive oil, divided
Softened, unsalted butter for greasing
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, instant yeast, and caraway seeds, if using. In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and maple syrup. Add to the flour, followed by 1 tablespoon of oil. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball.
Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or a cloth bowl cover and set aside in a warm spot for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Preheat oven 375 degrees
Grease a 9” loaf pan generously with softened butter.
When dough has doubled, drizzle remaining tablespoon of olive oil and use your hand to rub the oil over the surface to coat. Use your hand again to release the dough from the sides of the bowl, then slip the ball over so that the oil side is down. Roll the dough into a coil or loaf shape then transfer to your prepared pan, seam side down.
Let the dough rise on the countertop (preferably in a warm, draft-free spot) for 45 minutes to an hour or until the dough has risen significantly in the pan – it should be doming above the rim of the pan by about an inch.
Transfer pan to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until top is evenly browned. Remove pan from the oven and turn loaf out onto a cooling rack for 30 minutes before slicing.
NOTE: In my experience baking bread, it is important to use a scale and weigh in grams, as one cup can vary dramatically in weight and adversely affect the finished product.
