Rye Bread

Recipe No. 21 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Breads. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Yeast — 4 ounces
• Water, cool — 1 gallon (4 No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — 4 ounces (8 mess kit spoons)

Sugar, granulated — 3 ounces (6 mess kit spoons)

• Caraway seeds, ground (optional) — ½ ounce (1½ mess kit spoons)
• Flour, white, sifted — 12 pounds (12 No. 56 dippers)

Flour, rye — 3 pounds (2¼ No. 56 dippers)

• Shortening, softened — 6 ounces (12 mess kit spoons)
• Cornmeal — as needed

Directions

1. Soften yeast in water; add salt, sugar, and caraway seeds.
2. Add white flour, rye flour, and shortening; mix until a smooth dough is obtained. The dough will be somewhat stiffer than that for other breads.
3. Place dough in a warm place (80° F.); allow to rise about 1½ hours. Punch dough; allow to rise 20 minutes more.
4. Cut dough into 1½-pound pieces; mould evenly into loaves.
5. Sprinkle shallow sheet pans with cornmeal. Place loaves 6 inches apart on top of cornmeal. Allow to rise 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Cut the surface of each loaf several times across the width with a sharp knife or razor blade.
7. Bake in hot oven (425° to 450° F.) 35 to 40 minutes.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Yeast — about 2 tsp Water, cool — 1¼ cups Salt — about 2 tsp Sugar, granulated — about 1½ tsp Caraway seeds, ground (optional) — a pinch Flour, white, sifted — 15⅓ oz Flour, rye — 3¾ oz Shortening, softened — ½ oz Cornmeal — to taste

If a glossy crust is desired, brush loaves before baking with a mixture of boiled cornstarch. Use ⅔ ounce (2 mess kit spoons) cornstarch and 1 quart (one No. 56 dipper) water.

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 21, Breads. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.