Peasant Black Bread

This Peasant Black Bread is a robust, hearty loaf that draws inspiration from traditional Eastern European baking. The combination of rye flour, unsweetened cocoa, and instant coffee creates a deeply dark crust and crumb with rich, earthy notes. Caraway seeds provide a distinctive aromatic bite, while vinegar and molasses add complexity and tenderness. The result is a bread that is moist yet dense, perfect for slicing thick for sandwiches or toasting with butter. It pairs beautifully with robust cheeses, cured meats, or soups. This recipe is vegan-friendly and offers a comforting, homemade quality that feels both rustic and sophisticated. It is an excellent choice for holiday tables or any occasion where you want a unique, flavorful centerpiece bread.

Cooking Method: Baking

Cuisine: Global

Courses: Baked Goods

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 2

Calories: 1115.9

Dietary: Vegan, Vegetarian

Description

This Peasant Black Bread is a robust, hearty loaf that draws inspiration from traditional Eastern European baking. The combination of rye flour, unsweetened cocoa, and instant coffee creates a deeply dark crust and crumb with rich, earthy notes. Caraway seeds provide a distinctive aromatic bite, while vinegar and molasses add complexity and tenderness. The result is a bread that is moist yet dense, perfect for slicing thick for sandwiches or toasting with butter. It pairs beautifully with robust cheeses, cured meats, or soups. This recipe is vegan-friendly and offers a comforting, homemade quality that feels both rustic and sophisticated. It is an excellent choice for holiday tables or any occasion where you want a unique, flavorful centerpiece bread.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cup Rye Flour
1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/4 cup Sugar
3 tablespoon Caraway Seed
2 package Active Dry Yeast
2 tablespoon Instant Coffee
2 teaspoon Salt
2 1/2 cup Hot Water (120-130 F)
1/4 cup Vinegar
1/4 cup Dark (Blackstrap) Molasses
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
4 1/2 cup Unbleached Or Bread Flour

Directions

1
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the rye flour, unsweetened cocoa, sugar, caraway seeds, active dry yeast, instant coffee, and salt.
2
Stir in the hot water, vinegar, molasses, and vegetable oil, beating until the mixture is smooth.
3
Gradually stir in enough unbleached or bread flour to form a soft, cohesive dough.
4
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
5
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, which should take about 5 minutes.
6
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat the top with oil.
7
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
8
Punch the dough down to release air and divide it into two equal halves.
9
Shape each half into a ball and place one in the center of each of two greased 8-inch round cake pans.
10
Cover the pans and let the dough rise again until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
11
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
12
Bake the loaves for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 2

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1115.9kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13.6g21%
Saturated Fat 3.5g18%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 276.4mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 226.5g76%
Dietary Fiber 19.5g78%
Sugars 16.7g
Protein 34.4g69%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Ensure the water is hot (120-130 F) to properly activate the yeast, but not so hot that it kills it.

If using instant yeast, you can mix it directly with the dry ingredients. If using active dry yeast, you may choose to dissolve it in the hot water with a pinch of sugar first to ensure it's active.

This bread is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrapped tightly and frozen for longer storage.

For a darker crust, you can brush the loaves with water or a mixture of water and molasses before baking.

The bread will continue to cook slightly after removing from the oven due to residual heat; let it cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Keywords: black bread, rye bread, caraway seed, cocoa bread, peasant bread, dark bread, homemade bread, yeast bread, vegan bread, international cuisine, rye flour, molasses bread, coffee bread, rustic loaf, hearty bread

Read it online: https://www.chefs-mate.com/recipe/peasant-black-bread/