Braided Rye Bread

To make the light rye:
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flours, salt and yeast. Add molasses, shortening and water and stir to combine. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and tacky but not sticky, about 5-6 minutes (or knead with a dough hook in stand mixer until dough is smooth and elastic and tacky but not sticky, about 4-5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

To make the dark rye:
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flours, salt and yeast. Add molasses, shortening, water and cocoa powder paste and stir to combine. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and tacky but not sticky, about 5-6 minutes (or knead with a dough hook in stand mixer until dough is smooth and elastic and tacky but not sticky, about 4-5 minutes). Shape dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

When both doughs are risen, punch doughs down, remove from bowls and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide each piece equally into fourths; roll out each piece into a 10-inch log. Connect 4 strands of alternating colors (1 light, 1 dark, 1 light, 1 dark) at one end with the sealed end facing you. Number the strands — 4, 3, 2, 1 — then follow this pattern: 4 over 2, 1 over 3, 2 over 3, until you run out of dough. Pinch the other ends together and place the braid in a lightly greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough to form 2 loaves.

Lightly mist tops of loaves with cooking spray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. When loaves have doubled, brush lightly with egg wash and bake on center rack of oven until golden brown and baked through, about 45 minutes, rotating loaves 180 degrees halfway through baking. Remove loaves from oven and loaf pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.”