Caraway Onion Rye Bread

Step 1: Scald milk; add 1/4 cup sugar, salt and oil. Let cool.

Step 2: In a bowl or glass measuring cup, add warm water and sprinkle yeast and sugar; with a fork, swirl slightly to soften. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until frothy, should take about 10 minutes.

Step 3: In a large bowl, add cooled milk mixture and yeast, and remaining ingredients. Knead for 10 to 15 minutes by hand (can also do this with an electric mixer, using a dough hook attachment).

Step 4: Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel over it. Set it in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size. (See NOTE, below for "cold method rise").

Step 5: Once it has doubled in size, punch it down and let it rise again until doubled.

Step 6: Divide dough into 3 portions, shaping each into loaves free form or can place in greased loaf pans. If not using loaf pans, place the loaves onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or grease sheets, making sure to space loaves about 4-5 inches apart.

Step 7: Brush loaves gently with milk and sprinkle with salt. Cover with plastic wrap (making sure you're not smothering it tightly, giving it room to rise) then cover with a kitchen towel. Set in a warm place, away from drafts, to rise until doubled.

Step 8: Bake at 350-degrees-Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Makes 3 loaves.

NOTE: More often than not, I use the cold rise method - by letting it rise in the fridge overnight for the first rise. In the case of this bread, it rises 3 times, which means that it can rise in the fridge for the first 2 times. Once the dough is shaped and rising for its final time, is when it needs to rise in a warm spot as noted in the method above. I use the "cold rise method" because I control it instead of it controlling me, because I don't have to act on it right away and can pull it out of the fridge when I'm ready to proceed with the recipe.