Zac Efron's "Iceland" episode of his documentary series "Down to Earth with Zac Efron" is what inspired me to make a loaf of rye bread. People say there is a lot to learn before you can make a perfect loaf of bread. I totally agree. While Icelandic Rye Bread is not that hard to make, it does take time to bake or steam. Recipes call for 6 to 12 hours baking time, depending on which recipe you are using, because the bread is baked at a very low temperature. The ingredients can also be different from one recipe to another.
As seen in "Down to Earth with Zac Efron," Icelandic Rye Bread is dense and sweet. Traditionally, it is buried in geothermal sands (or near hot springs) and steamed for 24 hours. Since not everyone lives next to hot springs or in a geothermal area, baking the bread in an oven is an alternative way to get a taste of Icelandic Rye Bread. There are many ways to enjoy this bread, such as topping with cream cheese, butter, or smoked salmon. Eating it plain is delicious as well. But do be aware that this rye bread contains a lot of dietary fibers, so..... we recommend eating this bread sliced thin.
Ingredients:
477g medium rye flour
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
454g buttermilk
168g honey
170g molasses
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325F, with the oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, honey, and molasses.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Cool completely before slicing thinly and serving with your favorite savory toppings.
8. Store leftover bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.
