I love making beginner light rye sandwich bread for my family. It’s a fun way to switch up our flavors and give some variety to our sandwiches. But I’ve noticed that store-bought rye bread seems darker and richer in color. This week I wanted to figure out how to achieve that look without sacrificing flavor or texture. I think I finally cracked the secret with my beginner dark rye sandwich bread recipe.
I’m excited to share it with you.
Although my latest rye recipe doesn’t mimic store-bought loaves exactly, this tasty loaf turned out exactly as I hoped it would: rustic, flavorful, and fun to eat.
I Learned About Dutch Cocoa
I’m a sucker for chocolate. I’ve used regular cocoa powder for baking a lot of difference recipes, from brownies to chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies. For years, I assumed that if you wanted something to taste like chocolate, you add cocoa powder and sugar and you’d be good to go.
However, when I made my Beginner Dark Rye Sandwich Bread, I wanted to use cocoa to darken my loaf but I didn’t want the bread to taste sweet like chocolate. I tried regular cocoa powder without the extra sugar, and the bread tasted bitter.
So I did a little digging, and I discovered that Dutch cocoa was the answer. In the past, I assumed Dutch cocoa would taste just as bitter as dark chocolate. I didn’t want the cocoa to detract from the rye and caraway flavors of my bread, so I didn’t dare use it.
This week, I learned that Dutch cocoa doesn’t necessarily mean dark chocolate. Rather, it means the cocoa had extra ingredients that would counteract cocoa’s acidity, resulting in a milder, smoother flavor. When I added Dutch cocoa to my bread, I ended up with a nice dark loaf without the bitter aftertaste.
Let Me Know If You Tried It
I understand that rye flour can be hard to come by, and that rye flavors are not everyone’s first choice when making sandwiches. However, if you love a dark, rustic loaf, please jump over to my bread blog and give the recipe a try.
If you enjoyed my beginner dark rye sandwich bread recipe, let me know by leaving a star rating. If you have ways to improve my bread, feel free to share your feedback in the comment section. Your input not only makes my day but helps me learn to do better. Thank you for your support.
