Montana's Hearty Russian Black Loaf

Ingredients 0/17

Step 1

Ad all your dry ingredients—whole wheat bread flour, rye flour, cocoa powder, bread flour, wheat germ, caraway seeds, yeast, sea salt, and onion powder—into your bread machine, followed by the wet ingredients like beer, coffee, vinegar, olive oil, honey, and molasses, just as your machine’s instructions recommend. Set it to the kneading cycle and let it work its magic.

Step 2

Once the dough is ready, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the machine and shape it into a rustic loaf right on the sheet. Use a sharp knife to make crisscross slits on top, then cover and let it rise for about an hour until it puffs up nicely.

Step 3

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 395°F (202°C). In a small bowl, whisk together an egg white with a little warm water, then brush this mixture over the top of your loaf to give it a nice shine.

Step 4

Pop the bread into the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until it’s cooked through and smells amazing. Once it’s done, let it cool on a wire rack for about an hour before slicing—it’s worth the wait!