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Wheat Rye Bread – Pšenično-žitný chléb

Byczechcookbook


This bread is truly a world class recipe. You don’t even need a mixer. It truly tastes like home! There is nothing like warm bread and European style butter. This bread has become a staple at my house and I hope it will become a favorite bread in your home as well.

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Kitchen Essentials:
5 quarts cast iron https://amzn.to/49fhFhC
Pastry board https://amzn.to/43YnGvl
Caraway seeds https://amzn.to/47Aa5g9
Silicone oven mitts https://amzn.to/47Bbqn4
Cooling rack https://amzn.to/4qOTKvL
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Tips:

  • I use a shower cap to cover my bowl with the dough inside. This allows the dough to ferment very well and I can reuse the shower cap. Some moisture could build up inside of the cap from condensation so make sure to let the cap dry after each use to prevent mold.
  • You will need a pot with a lid that can handle 500 °F. For example, a pot with plastic handles should be avoided. I like to use a cast iron pot 5 quarts (4,7 l) for this recipe. You will also need high temperature oven mitts that can handle 500 °F.
  • You can use a dutch oven pot instead of a cast iron pot, which you would not preheat in the oven since it is not recommended by the manufacturer. You will need to bake the bread at 450 °F (230 °C) for 30 minutes with the lid and 10 minutes without the lid.
  • The dough needs to rise for 6 – 12 hours. 6 hours only if your home is warm. The best is to let it rise overnight and bake it fresh in the morning.
  • You can add any seeds of your choice.
  • Every flour hydrates differently. You might need to add more flour if the dough seems too runny when you mix all the ingredients. It gets even more runny after it rises. Make sure to put plenty of flour on your pastry board.
  • If you make my Farmer’s Cheese you can use the leftover
    whey in this bread instead of water. Whey is healthy, packed with protein and this is a good way to not waste it.

Makes: 1 loaf
Prep: 5 min.
Rest: 6-12 hours
Hands on: 5 min.
Preheating the oven / rising: 15 minutes
Bake: at 500F (260 °C) 25 min. with lid, 8-10 min. without the lid

Ingredients:

2 1⁄2 cups (350 g) all purpose flour (plus plenty for the pastry board)
1 1⁄2 cups (210 g) rye flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (plus more for topping)
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups (470 ml) water or whey

Directions:

  • Into a large bowl add 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ cups rye flour, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp caraway seeds, and 3 tsp yeast. Mix together with a wooden spoon.
  • Add 2 cups water and mix until you have no dry flour and all is mixed together. The spoon will have a lot of dough on it, so make sure to scrape it all off.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a shower cap and let ferment in a warm place for 6 – 12 hours.
  • Put plenty of all purpose flour on a pastry board. (So the bread doesn’t stick to the board.)
  • Using a plastic dough scraper, get the dough out of the bowl onto the pastry board. (You can keep dipping the scraper in the flour on the pastry board to help the dough to come out.)
  • Using the dough scraper or your hands, fold the bread onto itself on all sides, trying to add more flour. Keep folding until the outer part of the dough is not sticky. (Don’t add large amounts of flour at once since it would show in the
    bread after it is baked.)
  • With your hands, form a nice round dough. Add a little more flour to the pastry board and set the dough on it, so the dough doesn’t stick to the board.
  • Slightly dampen your hands with water and pat the top of the dough gently. Doing this will give the dough a surface that the caraway seeds will want to stick to. (Make sure the water doesn’t run down underneath the dough since that could cause the bread to stick to the baking pot.)
  • Sprinkle caraway seeds on top of the dough.
  • If using a cast iron pot, place the empty pot along with its lid beside it into the oven to preheat together. (Make sure there is plenty of space in the oven above the pot to accommodate the pot when the lid is on later.)
  • Preheat the oven to 500 °F. (The oven will be super hot so be careful!)
  • Using high temperature oven mitts, pull the pot out of the oven and place it on top of your stove. Take off the oven mitts, grab the dough with your hands, and drop it into the pot. You can carefully reposition the bread with a metal spatula if you need to. Put the oven mitts back on, take the heated lid that is in the oven and cover the pot. Then put it all back into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Using oven mitts, remove the lid and bake the bread for about 8 more minutes or until beautifully brown.
  • Using the oven mitts, take the pot out of the oven and place onto the stove.
  • While still wearing the oven mitts, lift one side of the pot while the other side remains resting on the stove. Keep tilting until the bread wants to fall out. Catch it with your free hand and carefully place the bread onto a cooling rack.
  • Wait at least half an hour for the bread to cool off before slicing it. The best is to use a large serrated knife. (You can slice it sooner, the inside just might curl up, but it doesn’t affect the taste.)
  • Wrap any remaining bread in a clean kitchen towel and store on the counter for up to two days. While wrapped in the towel I also like to cover the open cut side of the bread with plastic wrap so that part doesn’t dry up. If you don’t eat it all within two days, store the bread in a plastic bag on the counter or in
    a freezer rated sealable bag in the freezer.

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124 Comments

  2. Hi Kristýna. About 22 years ago, I used to use this exact same bread recipe except I did not bake it in a pot. This looks so good. I need to buy a pot to bake it in. What size (diameter) pot should I buy to bake this delicious looking bread? Thank you.

    Reply

  5. I make one or two loaves a week of this bread! I no longer buy bread from the store! I have found an easier way to move the dough into the hot cast-iron pot. I take a smaller bowl, lightly oil with olive oil and dusted with flour. I transfer the dough into this bowl while the oven is heating. At 500°F, I take the cast-iron pot out and put on a heat resistant pad. I then dump the dough into the cast iron pot and quickly move it back into the oven, putting the lid on top .

    Reply

  6. Just tried a piece of this after the first try making it. Fantastic. I’ll be making this again. The video was very helpful.

    Reply

  7. Can you use enamel coated cast iron? Also. Who has done this bread with whole wheat and rye flour combo??

    Reply

  9. Does the bottom of the pot have to be the same size as the loaf of bread, or can you use a pot a few inches larger in diameter than the loaf of bread?

    Reply

  10. Thank you, Kristyna, for sharing your family recipe! I just made a loaf of Chleba, and I waited “almost”an hour before cutting into the loaf. Love the taste! I don’t have a cast iron pot but I do have a round stoneware cloche —a round stone base with sides and a bell-shape stoneware cover. I heated the oven to 475 F, and the bread baked 25 minutes and then 7 minutes at 425 without the cloche cover. I tested the inside temperature of the bread and it was perfect: 205 F for this type of bread. Rye bread is so tasty!

    Reply

    1. I think it would be difficult. Heated lid helps the bread to rise. Do you have maybe some baking sheet that would handle 500F?

      Reply

  15. Kristýna, I made this 2 weeks ago, it was so easy and was amazing!! It tasted just like the bread my grandmother made on Sunday’s for dinner. Making it again today. Thanks so much. You are a delight to watch, make it so easy and simple. Thanks again.

    Reply

  16. Hi Kristyna, first I want to say every recipe I have tried from your website has been delicious. Anytime time I make the rye bread in my cast iron pot the crust on the is EXTREMELY hard to cut. Any ideas why this happens? Once I really enjoy making your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
    Ella

    Reply

      1. Another thing you can also try after it is done baking is to have the bread sitting on a wooden board or some other surface. Which might create moisture under the bread and softened the bottom crust. Also putting the bread in a bag after it cools of should soften the crust.

        Reply

  17. On my question I don’t understand why it says “ your comment is awaiting moderation”.
    I asked Kristyna why my rye bread has a very hard crust on the bottom. I posted my question on a February 18, 2018 can you please check? Thanks, Ella

    Reply

    1. I am sorry I didn’t have a chance to get back to it. Try to bake it for less time. You can also lower the temperature little bit. I hope it will get better.

      Reply

  18. Thank you so much. When help me out it’s like having you in my kitchen like a personal chef. Love ALL YOUR RECIPES. Ella

    Reply

  19. Thank you, Kristina
    Zodpověděla jste všechny moje otázky a vyřešila trable s moukou tady v USA. Jsem Vám opravdu vděčná.
    Lenka

    Reply

  21. Thank you Kristyna.
    For over 20 years i’m watching bread making recepies after recepies , tried this or that , and failed every time.
    Thanks to you i can now make perfect and tasty bread every time.
    Hats down.
    Thank You

    Reply

    2. Good to hear you are successful with this recipe. I have epic fails even with “easy” bread instructions. I will try this with slight reservations as to my success!

      Reply

      1. I actually created even simpler recipe ;) I hope to record it soon. This way you don’t even need a pastry board. ;)

        Reply

  22. Thank you very much for this recipe Kristynka! It was easy and turned out great! Even my husband who doesn’t like bread as much as I do loved it! All your recipes are easy to understand and you are awesome! Thank you!!!

    Reply

  24. I’ve been trying to find your recipe for thopenky. I rub a cut garlic clove in a small skillet. Then I add a piece of rye bread I have brushed lightly with bacon grease and cook until each side is toasted. This is the way my dad made it and I absolutely love it. Can’t find any one else who likes it. Is there a different way to make it?

    Reply

    1. I don’t have the recipe yet for Topinky. I am planing on recording it. I have never tried it the way you do it. We pretty much fry the bread in oil or lard. Than cover with fresh garlic clove smearing it on it. And salt on top.

      Reply

  25. Hello Kristinka, can you pleas let me know which brand of rye flour you used? In US they do not have rye flour as in our country.
    Dakujem vopred.
    Eva

    Reply

  26. King Aurthur makes a Rye Blend flour with white, rye, pumpernickel and I bleached all-purpose flour. I am going to try your recipe using this flour and see how it turns out. Thank you so much for all you do. I grew up enjoying my mother’s Czech cooking, she was Czech. Have visited the Czech Republic several times and love all the food, especially roast pork, roast duck and knedlicky both fruit and bread. Mom also make a sweet fried dough that she sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. I even love jitrnice sausages, with the wooden sticks on each end but they are difficult to find in the states and we only found them in a few places in the Czech Republic. We enjoy the white ones.

    Reply

  28. My hubby is so happy I found your website. I’ve made everything from potato salad to your delicious rye bread! He misses the food from Czech so he sees your site as a Godsend. Thank you!

    Silentia

    Reply

  29. I made this for the first time today, used 2 cups whole wheat & 2 cups dark rye flours. Turned out perfectly – will make another loaf of this healthy bread for my cancer support group to try. Thank you for your great recipes, my family loves them. You take the fear out of baking with yeast!

    Reply

  31. I love this recipe. I have made it twice and it turned out perfect. I grind my own flour from the Sunrise Flour Mill located North Branch MN. I use 2 cups rye and 2 cups Turkey Red Wheat.

    Reply

    1. I am glad to hear you enjoy this recipe. :) How amazing to grind your own flour. That is the best! I am sure the bread taste amazing! :)

      Reply

  32. So easy to make and taste great. My 6 year old loves the bread too. I’m so happy to find this recipe and the website. My husband and I love czech food. I’ll try other recipes too.

    Reply

  33. Why do you have to wait 6-8 hours to bake. My dough has more than doubled and it’s only been 1 and1/2 hours.

    Reply

    1. Because as the dough rests, it ferments and develops better flavor and healthy beneficial bacteria. Also it gets much much bigger and bubbly as it ferments more. That all affects the texture and flavor of the bread.

      Reply

  35. Hi,
    I am using fresh yeast. How much do I use in grams, please? I don’t think I used enough as it has not risen much at all.
    Thanks
    Lucie

    Reply

        1. You can definitely experiment. I don’t see a need to calculate hydration. My bread turns out the way I like it.

          Reply

          1. Story Kristina for calling you Lucie , I will definitely follow your recipe, your video is very good and your bread looks fantastic. Paul

  37. I just made this today, i used two cast iron skillets, one for the lid. This bread came out so good, my husband (from the Czech republic) was so happy. I will probably buy a cast iron skillet just for the bread. We hate store bread and I love that we found a good home recipe. I have to try for czech rolls next. I may either change the time a bit on my next loaf as one spot got a little charred, but it was against the edge of the pan and a little dark on the bottom, this is why I will try a new pan next time. I also am due to a new oven, so maybe that will help. Always have to tweak, thank you so much for posting this recipe.

    Reply

    1. Glad to hear you enjoyed the bread. :) You might need to lower the oven temperature next time. I noticed that conventional oven bakes on higher temperatures so I always have to bake everything on less heat if I am using conventional oven.

      Reply

      1. I actually have shortened the cook time with lid off by one or two minutes, I may try the oven temp at 475 next time, perhaps that will be ok. I have been making a loaf of this every other day for my two, cannot keep it in the pantry.
        Would you happen to have a Czech version of the recipe that I could share with my mother-in-law in Brno? If not, my husband can translate it. Thank you so much.

        Reply

        1. I am glad to hear you make it so often. :) Yes I do have it in Czech. My book will be also printed in Czech language. :) I will send it to your email. :)

          Reply

  38. Do you have a version of this recipe using leaven or a sourdough starter. I am making this constantly and with the pandemic, dry yeast is scarce. I made sourdough starter, but have read so many issues using it if it is not a recipe made specifically for using a starter, any thoughts on that?

    Reply

    1. I have my own leaven made from rye flour and water and for making this bread I use only 1/4 tsp of dry yeast and about 1-2 tbsp of leaven/starter. I add starter to a cup and pour water to it. Total of water is 2 cups but I use little less because of the starter. I let it sit overnight for about 12 hours and the rest is exactly the same as the regular recipe. I didn’t try it yet only with a leaven, but I figured 1/4 tsp of dry yeast is not that much anyway. I hope that helps. :)

      Reply

  39. I use only levain in my breads….above are you saying that you add 1-2 TB of starter to 2 cups of water? no flour for the overnight rest? or do you mean mixing all ingredients and let sit overnight? thank you

    Reply

    1. They would have to be also baked in heated pot and lid. Timing would be different. I don’t think it would work too well. You can try to make my Bread Rolls recipe instead and play with different flour if you would like. The process is different than bread.

      Reply

  42. Hello, can I keep this dough in the refrigerator overnight? Would letting it ferment longer give it more flavor? I want to try making it tomorrow morning. Thank you!

    Chris

    Reply

    1. Hi Chris, you could keep it in the fridge. But let it warm up before you bake it. I think up to 16 hours fermentation is plenty.

      Reply

          1. Definitely will do, thank you! I keep looking for a good rye bread recipe, I am Polish and always long for that tasty Polish rye bread that I get from the bakery so maybe this will be close.

          2. Made the loaf this afternoon, beautiful and tasty! Thank you for the recipe and taking the time to post it!

      1. Thanks! It is positively delicious! Soft crumb and crisp crust!! This is a keeper!! I was a little afraid of your “toss” in the hot pan method so I moved my bread from resting on flour to greased/pan spray parchment and then dropped it into my pan. Fantastic results!

        Reply

        1. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it. :) I actually don’t toss the bread like that anymore. I found better and easier way. With oven mitts I remove the heated pot from the oven and put on the top of the stove and put the bread in this way. :)

          Reply

  44. Děkuji za výborný recept, už peču jen ten. Rada bych se zeptala – pokud zdvojnásobím dávku, zůstane čas pečení stejný?

    Reply

    1. To mám radost, že chutná. Chleba bude větší a tak je potřeba péct na menší teplotu a déle. Takto bude propečený.

      Reply

  45. Vynikající recept!! Sem naprostý anti-talent v kuchyni (+ ingredience v Americe moc nechápu). Recept je jednoduchý, video strašně moc pomáhá. Chleba dělám pravidelně o víkendu už asi 3 měsíce a úžasný. Mockrát děkuji za super recepty!

    Reply

  46. Nemůžu věrit, že jsem Vás a Vaše recepty nenašla spíš! Přesto, že hodně vařím a peču, stále Vaše typy jsou velice vítané.

    Reply

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