BLACK PEPPER AND FENNEL SEED RYE BREAD

BLACK PEPPER AND FENNEL SEED RYE BREAD

Ingredients

325ml regular black coffee, warm or cold
150g rye flour
2 tsp crushed black pepper
2 tsp anise, fennel or caraway seeds
1 tsp dry instant yeast
1½ tsp salt
325g strong white flour, plus extra for shaping
1 beaten egg and poppy seeds, to finish

Method

Put the coffee in a saucepan along with half the rye flour, the pepper and your seeds of choice. Whisk, heat until thick and just boiling, then spoon into a mixing bowl and set aside to cool until warm. Add the yeast, mix well, add the salt, the remaining rye flour and the white flour, then mix to a smooth dough. Cover, leave for 10 minutes, then on a lightly oiled worktop knead for 10 seconds. Cover, repeat twice more at 10-minute intervals, then leave for 30 minutes.

Line a baking tray with nonstick baking parchment. Using a little flour, pat out the dough into a 20cm square, then roll up tightly. Place the dough seam side down on the tray, cover with a cloth and leave to rise for 45 minutes. Egg-wash the top, sprinkle with poppy seeds, cut six diagonal slashes across the top and bake at 220C (200C fan-assisted)/425F/gas mark 7 for 40 minutes.