At once earthy, tangy, and nutty, with a mesmerizingly striking swirl, marbled rye bread is as mutilayered as the realm of bread it belongs to. A hardy ancient grain, rye’s ability to thrive in poorer soils and wetter, cooler climes has made it a prime crop in northern and eastern Europe since the Middle Ages. Although the grain is now produced in other parts of the world, the “rye belt” stretches from the Germany-France border through Poland, Scandinavia, and the Baltic states all the way into Russia. Several tasty rye traditions traveled with immigrants from those countries to lands abroad, and many bready homages, recreations, and offshoots ensued.
For some, the words “rye bread” might spark cravings for an almost ebony-hued loaf or a lighter-crumbed situation. Rye breads can be mild, sour, or even boldly spiced. They can come studded with mix-ins like seeds and citrus peel or skip them altogether. The following pages will deep-dive into the spiraled variety, the kind many of us imagine piled high with pastrami or corned beef slices. First, we’ll mix a duo of doughs, both made with a combo of rye and wheat flours, sweetened with molasses, and punctuated with caraway seeds. A mere sprinkling of cocoa added to one makes for the bread’s iconic two-toned interior. From there, we’ll cover bread-making basics, from proofing and shaping to scoring and baking. With a bit of practice, you’ll have bakery-worthy loaves in no time.
MARBLED RYE BREAD
Makes 2 (9x5-inch) or freeform loaves
Two differently tinted doughs combine to create this beautifully spiraled loaf. Whether hugging favorite sandwich fixings or simply slathered with softened butter, each caraway-flecked
