Rupjmaize — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Dense, dark, slightly sour Latvian rye bread baked slowly with caraway seeds, the foundation of Latvian cuisine.

Ingredients

1 Mix sourdough starter with warm water, molasses, and malt extract.
2 Combine rye flour, wheat flour, caraway seeds, and salt in a large bowl.
3 Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a sticky, dense dough forms. Do not knead — rye dough should remain shaggy.
4 Pack dough firmly into a greased loaf pan, smooth the top with wet hands.
5 Cover and let ferment in a warm spot for 8-12 hours until dough rises slightly and cracks appear on top.
6 Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 15 min, then reduce to 150°C (300°F) and bake 1.5-2 hours until deeply dark.
7 Cool completely before slicing — at least 12 hours for best texture.

Did You Know?

Latvians say "rupjmaize" (rye bread) with reverence — wasting it is considered deeply disrespectful, and stale bread is always repurposed.