Rye Bread

Rye is made into both loaf breads and crisp bread. There are three different types of rye crisp bread: normal yeast fermented, sourdough fermented and cold bread crisp bread. Most of the crisp bread produced in Scandinavia is produced following 3-4 hours of fermentation. Sourdough versions are used in Finland and Germany. The third type of crisp bread is the so-called cold bread crisp bread, which is baked without the addition of yeast. The dough gets the right texture from a foaming process, where air is incorporated into the cooled dough, which also leads to the almost white color of the finished bread. Crisp bread has a long shelf life due to its very low water content (5-7%).

Pumpernickel, a dark, tough, and close-textured loaf, is made from crushed or ground whole rye kernels, without the admixture of wheat flour. Rye and wheat flours are added to produce rye bread, which has a better texture, lighter color, and milder flavor than pumpernickel. Caramel coloring and caraway seeds are often added to rye bread. Rye bread can be made by the sourdough method, where leavening and flavor result from the addition of a small amount of old dough in which lactic-acid-producing bacteria have developed. These micro-organisms ferment some of the carbohydrates in the fresh dough batch, producing characteristic sour tastes and odors.

Pure rye dough often produces a very heavy textured bread because it lacks the gluten needed to hold bubbles. That is one reason why wheat flour is usually added. The acidic environment created by sourdough culture helps to gelatinize rye dough and produces a lighter pure-rye bread.

In 500 AD., the Saxons and Danes settled in Britain and introduced rye which was well suited to cold northern climates. Dark rye bread became a staple which lasted to the Middle Ages. Many different types of rye have come from all over such as Finland, Denmark, Russia, and the Baltic countries. In Finland, the most popular bread is rye bread.

In addition to bread and breakfast cereals, rye has always been consumed in variety of ways, in regions where it is popular. Rye porridge is traditionally made of rye flour, but nowadays rye flakes are also available for a good and tasty porridge. A typical Finnish breakfast dish or dessert is rye-lingonberry or rye-blueberry porridge. Traditional baked rye berry pies still appeal to today's consumer.