Wheat Rye Bread – Pšenično-žitný chléb

bread_blog

Ingredients:

Makes: 1 loaf
Prep: 5 min.
Rest: 6-12 hours
Hands on: 5 min.
Preheating the oven / rising: 15 minutes
Bake: at 500F (260 °C) 25 min. with lid, 8-10 min. without the lid

2 1⁄2 cups (350 g) all purpose flour (plus plenty for the pastry board)
1 1⁄2 cups (210 g) rye flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (plus more for topping)
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups (470 ml) water or whey

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124 comments
  1. Looks good…. would appreciate recipe in metric grams mls for
    those of us living in Europe thanks

    1. On my website you will find conversion chart I made.

    2. Fabulous bread. Made it today. Loved it. Will be making again and again. Thank you

      1. I am glad to hear. 🙂

  2. Hi Kristýna. About 22 years ago, I used to use this exact same bread recipe except I did not bake it in a pot. This looks so good. I need to buy a pot to bake it in. What size (diameter) pot should I buy to bake this delicious looking bread? Thank you.

    1. Hi Louis, it is 27cm in diameter. Good luck baking it. I hope you will enjoy it! 🙂

      1. Is this about a 2 qt size?

        1. I am using 5 qt

  3. Do you need to put oil on the pot before you put in the bread dough?

    1. I always have my skillet seasoned. After each wash I put peanut oil in the pot. Against rust.

  4. Uz jsem ho delala 2x a vyborny! Moc dekuji za jednoduchy recept 🙂

    1. To mám radost, ze se daří a chutná!

  5. I make one or two loaves a week of this bread! I no longer buy bread from the store! I have found an easier way to move the dough into the hot cast-iron pot. I take a smaller bowl, lightly oil with olive oil and dusted with flour. I transfer the dough into this bowl while the oven is heating. At 500°F, I take the cast-iron pot out and put on a heat resistant pad. I then dump the dough into the cast iron pot and quickly move it back into the oven, putting the lid on top .

    1. That is a great idea Doug! Thank you for sharing! I am glad you enjoy this bread!

      1. When making the bread in Prague, I have fresh yeast in 42 gm cube. Will 1/2 a cube be sufficient?

        1. 42g = 3tsp

  6. Just tried a piece of this after the first try making it. Fantastic. I’ll be making this again. The video was very helpful.

    1. I am glad to hear!

  7. Can you use enamel coated cast iron? Also. Who has done this bread with whole wheat and rye flour combo??

    1. I have not tried it yet but if it can handle 500F I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

      1. Don’t use the enameled cast iron – it will have burn marks you can’t get out, I know….:(

        1. Oh no! I am sorry it happened!

  8. doesn’t need any sugar??

    1. Correct, no sugar.

      1. This bread was so good my family ate it up I will definitely be making again!!

        1. So glad to hear!

  9. Does the bottom of the pot have to be the same size as the loaf of bread, or can you use a pot a few inches larger in diameter than the loaf of bread?

    1. You can but the bread might not be as high.

  10. Thank you, Kristyna, for sharing your family recipe! I just made a loaf of Chleba, and I waited “almost”an hour before cutting into the loaf. Love the taste! I don’t have a cast iron pot but I do have a round stoneware cloche —a round stone base with sides and a bell-shape stoneware cover. I heated the oven to 475 F, and the bread baked 25 minutes and then 7 minutes at 425 without the cloche cover. I tested the inside temperature of the bread and it was perfect: 205 F for this type of bread. Rye bread is so tasty!

    1. That is great Joanne! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

  11. I look forward to trying this – it looks very similar to the rye bread that my Oma always had in Fulda, Germany.

    1. I hope it will taste very close and it will bring some nice memories. 🙂

  12. We don’t yet have a cast iron Dutch oven. Is there another way? Thanks!

    1. Can be any other pot or baking dish that can handle 500F.

  13. Mate někde psané instrukce? 🙂 Děkuji!

    1. Budou v tištěné kucharce na které pracuji.

  14. I have a cast iron Dutch oven but there is no lid for it. Can I just use aluminum foil?

    1. I think it would be difficult. Heated lid helps the bread to rise. Do you have maybe some baking sheet that would handle 500F?

  15. Kristýna, I made this 2 weeks ago, it was so easy and was amazing!! It tasted just like the bread my grandmother made on Sunday’s for dinner. Making it again today. Thanks so much. You are a delight to watch, make it so easy and simple. Thanks again.

    1. Thank you Cathy! I am happy you are enjoying this Bread! 🙂

  16. Hi Kristyna, first I want to say every recipe I have tried from your website has been delicious. Anytime time I make the rye bread in my cast iron pot the crust on the is EXTREMELY hard to cut. Any ideas why this happens? Once I really enjoy making your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
    Ella

    1. The crust on the Bottom is too hard to cut

      1. Another thing you can also try after it is done baking is to have the bread sitting on a wooden board or some other surface. Which might create moisture under the bread and softened the bottom crust. Also putting the bread in a bag after it cools of should soften the crust.

  17. On my question I don’t understand why it says “ your comment is awaiting moderation”.
    I asked Kristyna why my rye bread has a very hard crust on the bottom. I posted my question on a February 18, 2018 can you please check? Thanks, Ella

    1. I am sorry I didn’t have a chance to get back to it. Try to bake it for less time. You can also lower the temperature little bit. I hope it will get better.

  18. Thank you so much. When help me out it’s like having you in my kitchen like a personal chef. Love ALL YOUR RECIPES. Ella

    1. I am glad to help.

  19. Thank you, Kristina
    Zodpověděla jste všechny moje otázky a vyřešila trable s moukou tady v USA. Jsem Vám opravdu vděčná.
    Lenka

    1. Tak to mě těší!

  20. Can this be made in a bread machine ?

    1. I don’t think it would be good idea. There is no kneading required.

  21. Thank you Kristyna.
    For over 20 years i’m watching bread making recepies after recepies , tried this or that , and failed every time.
    Thanks to you i can now make perfect and tasty bread every time.
    Hats down.
    Thank You

    1. Thank you Jirka! I am so happy to hear that! 🙂 Nothing like traditional real Bread. 🙂

    2. Good to hear you are successful with this recipe. I have epic fails even with “easy” bread instructions. I will try this with slight reservations as to my success!

      1. I actually created even simpler recipe 😉 I hope to record it soon. This way you don’t even need a pastry board. 😉

  22. Thank you very much for this recipe Kristynka! It was easy and turned out great! Even my husband who doesn’t like bread as much as I do loved it! All your recipes are easy to understand and you are awesome! Thank you!!!

    1. Aww! That makes me happy! ☺️ Thank you!

  23. Kristinko dosla moc Rey mouka muzu pouzit jinou dekuju PETRA

    1. Ano určitě. Dá se klidně jen z hladké.

  24. I’ve been trying to find your recipe for thopenky. I rub a cut garlic clove in a small skillet. Then I add a piece of rye bread I have brushed lightly with bacon grease and cook until each side is toasted. This is the way my dad made it and I absolutely love it. Can’t find any one else who likes it. Is there a different way to make it?

    1. I don’t have the recipe yet for Topinky. I am planing on recording it. I have never tried it the way you do it. We pretty much fry the bread in oil or lard. Than cover with fresh garlic clove smearing it on it. And salt on top.

  25. Hello Kristinka, can you pleas let me know which brand of rye flour you used? In US they do not have rye flour as in our country.
    Dakujem vopred.
    Eva

    1. I live in USA so I did use organic rye flour Bob Mills. I buy it in big bag.

      1. Is this a dark rye flour?

        1. I am actually not sure since in USA I buy it in bulk.

  26. King Aurthur makes a Rye Blend flour with white, rye, pumpernickel and I bleached all-purpose flour. I am going to try your recipe using this flour and see how it turns out. Thank you so much for all you do. I grew up enjoying my mother’s Czech cooking, she was Czech. Have visited the Czech Republic several times and love all the food, especially roast pork, roast duck and knedlicky both fruit and bread. Mom also make a sweet fried dough that she sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. I even love jitrnice sausages, with the wooden sticks on each end but they are difficult to find in the states and we only found them in a few places in the Czech Republic. We enjoy the white ones.

    1. Please let me know how it worked. 🙂 I love jitrnice! 🙂

  27. is all purpose flour, UK plain flour please or plain bread flour?

    1. All purpose is plain flour. We do have bread flour but I don’t use it.

  28. My hubby is so happy I found your website. I’ve made everything from potato salad to your delicious rye bread! He misses the food from Czech so he sees your site as a Godsend. Thank you!

    Silentia

    1. That is so wonderful of you to say! Thank you! 🙂 Makes me happy to see you are enjoying my recipes. 🙂

  29. I made this for the first time today, used 2 cups whole wheat & 2 cups dark rye flours. Turned out perfectly – will make another loaf of this healthy bread for my cancer support group to try. Thank you for your great recipes, my family loves them. You take the fear out of baking with yeast!

    1. Thank you Deborah! This makes me happy to hear. ☺️

  30. What kind of yeast did you use? I have both active dry and instant. Thanks! Looking forward to cooking this.

    1. Always active dry.

  31. I love this recipe. I have made it twice and it turned out perfect. I grind my own flour from the Sunrise Flour Mill located North Branch MN. I use 2 cups rye and 2 cups Turkey Red Wheat.

    1. I am glad to hear you enjoy this recipe. 🙂 How amazing to grind your own flour. That is the best! I am sure the bread taste amazing! 🙂

  32. So easy to make and taste great. My 6 year old loves the bread too. I’m so happy to find this recipe and the website. My husband and I love czech food. I’ll try other recipes too.

    1. I am happy to hear! 🙂

  33. Why do you have to wait 6-8 hours to bake. My dough has more than doubled and it’s only been 1 and1/2 hours.

    1. Because as the dough rests, it ferments and develops better flavor and healthy beneficial bacteria. Also it gets much much bigger and bubbly as it ferments more. That all affects the texture and flavor of the bread.

  34. Hello – If I wanted to use a sourdough starter instead of yeast how much should I use?
    Thank you – Sue

    1. I would use about 2 tsp. It should be enough.

  35. Hi,
    I am using fresh yeast. How much do I use in grams, please? I don’t think I used enough as it has not risen much at all.
    Thanks
    Lucie

    1. One cube – 42g.

  36. Is hydration 82% for better rise of the dough? Also have used parchment paper in the pot?

    1. Not sure what you mean by this hydration. I haven’t used parchment paper.

      1. Hi Lucie , ratio water 472g to flour 558g is 84% hydration
        Thanks

        1. I am not Lucie. My name is Kristyna

          1. Sorry

          2. No worries

      2. Bread hydration calculator : breadcalc.com

        1. You can definitely experiment. I don’t see a need to calculate hydration. My bread turns out the way I like it.

          1. Story Kristina for calling you Lucie , I will definitely follow your recipe, your video is very good and your bread looks fantastic. Paul

          2. Thank you I hope you enjoy it.

  37. I just made this today, i used two cast iron skillets, one for the lid. This bread came out so good, my husband (from the Czech republic) was so happy. I will probably buy a cast iron skillet just for the bread. We hate store bread and I love that we found a good home recipe. I have to try for czech rolls next. I may either change the time a bit on my next loaf as one spot got a little charred, but it was against the edge of the pan and a little dark on the bottom, this is why I will try a new pan next time. I also am due to a new oven, so maybe that will help. Always have to tweak, thank you so much for posting this recipe.

    1. Glad to hear you enjoyed the bread. 🙂 You might need to lower the oven temperature next time. I noticed that conventional oven bakes on higher temperatures so I always have to bake everything on less heat if I am using conventional oven.

      1. I actually have shortened the cook time with lid off by one or two minutes, I may try the oven temp at 475 next time, perhaps that will be ok. I have been making a loaf of this every other day for my two, cannot keep it in the pantry.
        Would you happen to have a Czech version of the recipe that I could share with my mother-in-law in Brno? If not, my husband can translate it. Thank you so much.

        1. I am glad to hear you make it so often. 🙂 Yes I do have it in Czech. My book will be also printed in Czech language. 🙂 I will send it to your email. 🙂

  38. Do you have a version of this recipe using leaven or a sourdough starter. I am making this constantly and with the pandemic, dry yeast is scarce. I made sourdough starter, but have read so many issues using it if it is not a recipe made specifically for using a starter, any thoughts on that?

    1. I have my own leaven made from rye flour and water and for making this bread I use only 1/4 tsp of dry yeast and about 1-2 tbsp of leaven/starter. I add starter to a cup and pour water to it. Total of water is 2 cups but I use little less because of the starter. I let it sit overnight for about 12 hours and the rest is exactly the same as the regular recipe. I didn’t try it yet only with a leaven, but I figured 1/4 tsp of dry yeast is not that much anyway. I hope that helps. 🙂

  39. I use only levain in my breads….above are you saying that you add 1-2 TB of starter to 2 cups of water? no flour for the overnight rest? or do you mean mixing all ingredients and let sit overnight? thank you

    1. Mixing everything as in the recipe and let sit overnight.

  40. Hi Kristina,

    Do you use dark, medium or light rye flour for this recipe? I can’t wait to make this bread!

    1. In the USA I use lighter one, which is all I could find. In CZ it looks darker.

  41. Hello, this looks great! Would it be possible to bake this as rolls instead of bread?

    1. They would have to be also baked in heated pot and lid. Timing would be different. I don’t think it would work too well. You can try to make my Bread Rolls recipe instead and play with different flour if you would like. The process is different than bread.

  42. Hello, can I keep this dough in the refrigerator overnight? Would letting it ferment longer give it more flavor? I want to try making it tomorrow morning. Thank you!

    Chris

    1. Hi Chris, you could keep it in the fridge. But let it warm up before you bake it. I think up to 16 hours fermentation is plenty.

      1. Ok thank you for the very quick reply! I can’t wait to try it. Have a great day.

        1. Please let me know how it went if you remember. Have a great day and successful baking.

          1. Definitely will do, thank you! I keep looking for a good rye bread recipe, I am Polish and always long for that tasty Polish rye bread that I get from the bakery so maybe this will be close.

          2. Made the loaf this afternoon, beautiful and tasty! Thank you for the recipe and taking the time to post it!

          3. Wonderful I am glad to hear you like it.

  43. How long do you let it sit after you shape it? Did not hear an amount of time for that step.

    1. Until the oven preheats.

      1. Thanks! It is positively delicious! Soft crumb and crisp crust!! This is a keeper!! I was a little afraid of your “toss” in the hot pan method so I moved my bread from resting on flour to greased/pan spray parchment and then dropped it into my pan. Fantastic results!

        1. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it. 🙂 I actually don’t toss the bread like that anymore. I found better and easier way. With oven mitts I remove the heated pot from the oven and put on the top of the stove and put the bread in this way. 🙂

  44. Děkuji za výborný recept, už peču jen ten. Rada bych se zeptala – pokud zdvojnásobím dávku, zůstane čas pečení stejný?

    1. To mám radost, že chutná. Chleba bude větší a tak je potřeba péct na menší teplotu a déle. Takto bude propečený.

  45. Vynikající recept!! Sem naprostý anti-talent v kuchyni (+ ingredience v Americe moc nechápu). Recept je jednoduchý, video strašně moc pomáhá. Chleba dělám pravidelně o víkendu už asi 3 měsíce a úžasný. Mockrát děkuji za super recepty!

    1. Tak to mam radost. 🙂

  46. Nemůžu věrit, že jsem Vás a Vaše recepty nenašla spíš! Přesto, že hodně vařím a peču, stále Vaše typy jsou velice vítané.

    1. Děkuji ☺️

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