Having searched and searched for a recipe for a dense, chewy rye bread, I can honestly say this is the most delicious, stress-free and no-knead recipe! To get going, you need to either persuade a friend to share a sourdough starter or google ‘sourdough starter’ for instructions. It’s not hard. The starter keeps well in the fridge, when you are ready to make your bread, ‘feed’ it with equal parts flour/water the day before and leave out to bubble and pick up life!

200g Sourdough active starter

100g Rye Grains

100g Sunflower seeds

100g Golden Linseeds

300g luke warm water

200g Dark Rye flour

200g White bread flour

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbs Black treacle

approx 250ml luke warm water

Mix the sourdough starter with the rye grains, seeds and 300g of luke warm water in a large bowl. Cover and leave overnight at room temperature.

The next morning, add the flours, salt, treacle and remaining water. Mix with a wooden spoon, no need to knead, the dough should be quite sticky.

Line two loaf tins (approx 18cm x 12cms) with greaseproof paper, spoon equal amounts in each tin. Cover loosely with cling film and leave (room temperature) for about 6 hours, until about 50% larger in size.

Preheat the oven 180C, bake the oven for about 40 minutes (will depend on your oven). Turn the bread out onto a wire rack, tap the bottom, if it sounds hollow then its done. If it isn’t, turn the loaf upside down in the tin then pop it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes (keep checking!)

Leave to completely cool over night before slicing thinly. Freezes well or the bread will keep well in the fridge for a week or more.