Okay, I made AnnT.'s rye bread, and totally messed it up. I first made a batch of my regular bread, and it rose just fine. Then I made the rye bread, and I know that rye flour is low in gluten, but this stuff just never rose. I waited and waited, till I figured it had risen as much as it was going to, so I proceeded to the next step, and formed it into loaves. I knew as soon as I touched the dough, they were going to be bricks, and that's just what happened. After leaving the loaves to rise for several hours, I finally put them in the oven, and yes, they're bricks. I'll try the recipe again in a couple of weeks, to see if it happens again. For the life of me, I don't know what happened, unless I measured wrong and didn't realize it. DGS was helping me, and I could easily have gotten distracted. Sally

Yes, potentially you can reduce the time by having sour dough starter saved in the fridge and using that instead of the yeast-water-milk starter to go directly to step 2. One might need to adjust the flour and water added in step 2 or 3 depending on how the composition of your fridge starter differs from the step 1 starter. I've that on a pretty rough basis with other recipes and had it work out well. For example, I might take out my starter; feed it; and take 4 oz of this for this recipe; let it sit for a few hours to wake up; use it in step 2. 4 oz of my rye starter has about 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup rye flour so I would add an extra 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup less rye flour at step 2 (the 3 tbsp water plus 1/3 cup water in step 2 = about 1/2 cup). Or I might just add a couple of tbsp of my starter directly from the fridge plus water to step 2 and allow step 2 to run longer like about 24 hours to make up for starting it with sleepy starter. It sounds like a lot of time, but mostly the stuff is just sitting there - it just takes a few minutes day 1 and day 2 to do it the way this recipe says. But I like the flavor I get with my longer term starter. Also I don't always plan ahead enough for 3 days. And once you have the starter in the fridge, it might as well be used. Perhaps make it like the recipe says the first time and then play around to see what results you get.

Here ya go! From the Kitchen of Ann Straight Swedish Rye Bread Limpa (5 loaves) 2pkg dry yeast 1 cup warm H2O dissolve these three ingredients 1tsp. sugar (meanwhile) 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup whiter sugar 1tsp. salt (scant) 1/4 tsp. fennel seed 1 cup shortening (I use oleo) 1/2 c(scant) molasses 4 cups warm H2O (combine this), add yeast mixture Stir in 4 cups Rye Flour Work in 8 or more cups of white flour (I use 10 cups) The dough should be soft, but of course it should be workable Knead for 5 minutes Mix well--cover and let rise in warm place until double--- stir or punch down Dump out on lightly floured counter Divide into 5 sections---shape Place in greased pans--let rise Bake at 275 -300 degrees until done

Hey JoAnn! I've had this recipe for Jewish Rye for quite a while. Don't remember where I got it, nor have I ever tried it. If you do, please post the results. ABM JEWISH RYE BREAD 1-1/8 cup water 1-1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tblsp. sugar 2 cups white flour (for darker rye, substitute whole wheat flour for up to 3/4 cup) 1 cup rye flour (for lighter rye, substitute white flour for up to half the rye) 1 Tblsp. olive oil (optional -- it seems to make the bread stay fresh longer and some people prefer the texture) 1 Tblsp. caraway seeds 1/4 cup chopped onions (optional) 2 tsp. yeast Place all ingredients in bread machine in recommended order on the dough cycle. After first rise, remove dough, place on a bread board and punch down. If dough is too sticky, covering your hands or the bread board with corn meal or white flour usually is enough to bring it to the right consistency. If using a bread pan, shape loaf and place it in oiled bread pan. If you have a pizza stone, don't use a bread pan; shape the dough into a loaf or a ball or as you like and place it on a floured board (or the pizza peel). In either case, slash top with a sharp knife, cover the dough with a tea towel and leave it to rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven (preferably with pizza stone) to 450° F. The stone makes the bread crustier and gives a better contrast between the crust and the interior crumb. Spritz walls of oven with water twice before putting loaf in. (Omit for a less crusty bread). Bake thirty minutes at 450° F., spritzing the oven walls once more after five minutes, or, alternatively, bake fifteen minutes at 450° F., then reduce heat to 350° F. and bake thirty minutes more. Remove and allow to cool on rack.