Icelandic Rye Bread (Rúgbrauð) — Dense Geothermal-Style Rye Loaf

• 450 gdark rye flour
• 150 gwhole wheat flour
• 2 tspbaking soda
• 1.5 tspbaking powder
• 1.25 tspfine sea salt
• 600 mlcultured buttermilk (use Icelandic-style soured milk if available)
• 120 gdark molasses
• 60 gpacked dark brown sugar
• 10 gunsalted butter (for greasing the loaf tin)
• 1 sheetparchment paper
• 1 sheetaluminum foil (for tightly sealing the tin if it has no lid)
• 1.5 lboiling water

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 100°C / 212°F and position a rack in the lower third. Grease a 900 g loaf tin or 1.5 l lidded pudding mold with the butter, line the base with parchment paper, and have the foil ready for sealing.

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dark rye flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until the leavening is evenly dispersed. This even mixing is important because rúgbrauð is dense and will show bitter alkaline streaks if the baking soda clumps.

3. 3

   In a second bowl, whisk the cultured buttermilk, molasses, and dark brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved. The acidity of the buttermilk activates the soda and gives the bread the mellow tang associated with Icelandic rugbraud.

4. 4

   Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. Do not beat the batter, because overworking the rye paste can make the finished loaf gummy rather than sliceable.

5. 5

   Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a damp spatula. Seal the tin very tightly with its lid or with the sheet of foil, crimping it firmly so steam cannot drip onto the surface of the bread.

6. 6

   Set the sealed tin in a deep roasting pan and pour in 1.5 l boiling water, aiming for the water to come halfway up the side of the tin. Bake for 6.5 to 7 hours, adding 250 ml more boiling water if the level drops below one-third of the tin height; this gentle steam bath mimics the traditional geothermal method used for hverabrauð-style rúgbrauð.

7. 7

   The bread is done when a skewer comes out with moist crumbs and the center registers about 96°C / 205°F. Remove the tin from the water bath, keep it sealed for 30 minutes, then uncover and cool the loaf completely on a rack for at least 6 hours before slicing.

8. 8

   Slice the rúgbrauð thinly, because its sweetness and density are part of its character. Serve it with salted butter, smoked hangikjöt, creamy plokkfiskur, skyr, or hardfiskur for a traditional Icelandic meal.