Hi Liz, rye dough does tend to be rather sticky and wet, although less so after the first rise. I would be careful to limit your rising time to 50-60 minutes for the first rise, and about the same amount of time for the shaped rise. If the dough tends to flatten out during the shaped rise, you could allow it to rise upside down in a bowl lined with a well-floured cloth, and then gently turn it over onto your baking sheet or parchment when it's time to bake. Another option is to allow the shaped loaf to both rise and bake in a well-oiled Dutch oven, lined with parchment paper on the bottom. This method will support your loaf throughout the rising and baking time and help prevent spreading. A 3-4 quart Dutch oven is typically a good size for a 2 lb. loaf. You can place the risen loaf and Dutch oven into a preheated oven and remove the lid after 20 minutes and continue baking without the lid until done. You might also like to check out our version of Swedish Limpa bread. Barb@KAF

• Reply