Rye Bread with Chia Seed

by - June 16, 2018

I haven’t plucked up the courage to bake sourdough bread, but I do love the sourdough look so I would bake this Rye Bread instead.  This is one of the recipes in my baking book “Low-Sugar Cakes and Bakes”.

It is another Rye Bread recipe created by me using Tangzhong (water roux) method that I bake in a Dutch oven.  This method yields a crispy crust bread with soft and chewy insides.  However, it turns soft once it cools down but that is probably because of the Malaysian humidity.  To get back a crispy crust, just put the bread in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes to reheat or toast it.

You may also want to explore another Rye Bread recipe using the overnight starter dough method bake with normal loaf pan which yields soft and chewy bread, but not crispy crust. Please click here for the recipe.  


Rye Bread with Chia Seed Recipe - Tangzhong Method

Yield: 1 loaf

30g bread flour
145g water

Main dough:
100g rye flour
220g bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast
1 ½ tbsp (15g) sugar
1 tbsp full cream milk powder
1 tsp salt
2 ½ tbsp chia seeds
20g olive oil or coconut oil
150g fresh milk

5g black sesame seed
5g white sesame seed
5g poppy seed
10g sunflower seed

Dutch oven (cast iron skillet)
Baking tray


How to make Tangzhong:

Main Dough:
  1. Add all ingredients (first add salt, flours, sugar, yeast, milk powder, chia seeds, olive oil, fresh milk and lastly tangzhong) into the bowl of stand mixer. Using the dough hook on a stand mixer, knead until the dough comes together, become elastic and tacky but not sticky. It takes around 12 - 15 minutes at medium speed. If the dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Some bread flour absorbs more water.
  2. Let the dough complete the first round of proofing in the same bowl for 1 hour or until double in size in a warm and dark place.  The best place is in an oven (off).
  3. Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.
  4. Punch down the dough and transfer to a floured top.  Shape it into a ball.  Slightly flatten the dough with your hand. Fold the top to the centre, bottom to the centre, fold into half and press the bottom to seal, then shape it into an oval shape. 
  5. Spread the topping seeds on the table top. Brush the top of the bread with water and then roll the bread on the seeds mixture. Transfer the dough into a pan lined with parchment paper.  Let the dough rise for second proofing about 45 to 60 minutes or until double in size.
  6. 30 minutes before baking, pre-heat the Dutch Oven with lid on at maximum temperature, 250C (Fan-forced).
  7. Transfer the Dutch oven from oven and open the lid carefully.  Gently drop the dough with parchment paper into the Dutch oven.  Close the lid and return to oven.  Bake for 30 minutes at 230C.  After 30 minutes, remove the lid and check.  If the bread still not brown enough, then return the Dutch oven to the oven and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until the desired colour.
  8. Let it cool on cooling rack.

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  1. I'm experimenting with Rye bread recently and this recipe looks good. Can I omit the chia seed?

    1. Hi there,

      Thank you for your comment and question. Yes, of course you can omit chia seed.

      Cheers and happy baking :)

  2. Hi, I am very interested to bake this bread but I don't have a Dutch oven. Can I omit it and adjust the temperature and baking time to yield the same result?

    1. Hi, thank you for asking.

      Yes, you can bake on the baking tray. But, it will not be so crusty like dutch oven bake.

      Cheers :)