Within Russian villages, traditional winter foods, preserving techniques and family recipes are handed down from grandmother to granddaughter (ot babushki k vnuchke). In the spirit of giving, Essentials’ Megan Chalmers has reinvigorated a selection of the finest European winter treats including this Russian Black Bread recipe – perfect for pairing with seasonal delights such as Beef Stroganoff, Pork Trotter Kholadets and pickled wild pine mushroom salad.
Russian Black Bread
Makes 2 loaves
Preheat oven to 180C
Method
2. In a saucepan, heat the molasses, butter, coffee and chocolate with 500ml of water and stir until the chocolate and butter have melted.
4. Using a KitchenAid with a dough hook attachment, place all flours and dark malt into the mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Note: this can be mixed by hand.
5. Add caraway seeds, fennel seeds, diced shallots and salt to the bowl, followed by the molasses/coffee/chocolate/butter mixture and the activated yeast mixture, and mix together on a medium speed setting for 5 minutes until the dough comes together and is smooth.
6. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well.
7. Mould the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
8. Return the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a further 2-3 minutes.
9. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, shape into round loaves and place them on a lined baking tray.
10. Cover the shaped loaves with a damp tea-towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, allowing to rise again.
11. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes until brown on top and cooked through. Note: each loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
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