Marble Rye Bread

A pair of marble rye slices revealing soft texture and distinct cocoa marbling pattern.

5 from 1 vote

A soft, marble rye bread recipe that is easy enough for beginners! It has a light rye flavor and tender texture. Step-by-step instructions with photos on how to braid light and dark rye doughs for the perfect sandwich bread!

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Proof1 30

Total Time2 45

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: artisan bread, rye bread

Servings: slices

Author: Lindsey Farr

Ingredients

For the light rye —

1 ½ cups light rye flour
3 cups unbleached bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or shortening, room temperature
1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons water room temperature

For the dark rye —

1 ½ cups light rye flour
3 cups unbleached bread flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or shortening, room temperature
1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons water room temperature
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons water for cocoa powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make both the light and the dark rye together:

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together molasses, yeast and water. Let sit until foamy.
Add rye flour, bread flour, shortening or butter and salt to the yeast mixture, stir to incorporate either with a wooden spoon or the dough hook attachment in a stand mixer on low speed.
To knead by hand: place dough on an unfloured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and tacky but not sticky, about 5-6 minutes.
Divide the dough in half, leaving ½ in the stand mixer. Increase the speed to medium (or as close to medium as your mixer will tolerate with a stiff dough), and knead with the dough hook attachment until dough is smooth and elastic and tacky but not sticky, about 3-4 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic. Set aside to proof.
Place the other half of the dough in the stand mixer. Add the cocoa powder dissolved in water, mix on the medium-low speed to incorporate and develop gluten. I just took my dough out after the cocoa powder had mixed it. It took 4 minutes. Place in a separate, lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic.
Let rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
When both doughs are risen, punch doughs down gently to degas, remove from bowls and place on an unfloured surface. Divide each piece equally into fourths; roll out each piece into a 10-inch log. Connect 4 strands of alternating colors (1 light, 1 dark, 1 light, 1 dark) at one end with the sealed end away from you and the strands separated out in front of you.
Number the strands from left to right — 1, 2, 3, 4 — then follow this pattern: 3 over 2, 1 over 3, 2 over 3, and 4 over 2 until you run out of dough. You can follow the pictures, or if you would prefer, follow the sequence instead, and renumber the strands. Pinch the other ends together and place the braid in a lightly greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough to form 2 loaves.
Lightly mist tops of loaves with cooking spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. When loaves have doubled, brush lightly with egg wash and bake on center rack of oven until golden brown and baked through, about 45 minutes, rotating loaves 180 degrees halfway through baking.
Remove loaves from oven and loaf pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Notes

Yield – 2 loaves

Presentation – While this recipe is for marbled rye, you could also bake each loaf separately, or just make 2 loaves without the additional cocoa powder.

Mixing the Dough – I found that a stand mixer with a capacity of 5 quarts or less could only develop half the dough at a time. You really need to listen to your mixer, and if it is struggling, just let the dough develop gluten while it proofs.

Variations – Add caraway seeds if you enjoy them.

Storage – Store cooled rye bread in an airtight container or ziptop baggie at room temperature for up to 5 days. I recommend wrapping cooled loaves in plastic wrap and the placing in plastic freezer bags for longer term storage in the freezer.

Nutrition