Day 1 of a week of getting things done – baking day. Brownies for the freezer, a butternut squash pie for dinner, and Estonian-style rye bread with malt.

The bread dough looked like chocolate cake when it was done – until I put a tin with real chocolate cake batter next to it.

Dark, malty rye bread is one of those things that I always make sure to buy when I’m in Estonia, and from the Baltic store in Sollentuna as well. I have never tried to make it myself. I bought an Estonian bread book this summer, and then ordered malt flour online, and made my first attempt. Initially my hopes were low because the dough didn’t seem to rise at all. Then I just ignored the timings in the recipe completely and let it proof for about twice as long as specified, and it came out great. Tasted just like it should.