Danish Sourdough Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

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1. 1Step 1: Place the starter in a large bowl and add the cold water and flour. Stir with a spoon to form a nice loose mixture, cover. In a separate bowl place the seeds and chopped rye, pour over the boiling water, cover. Leave both at room temperature for 10-12 hours. (Overnight).
2. 2Step 2: Uncover the wet leaven. It should be nice and bubbly and have a pleasant, slightly fruity, alcoholic aroma.
3. 3Step 3: Now add all the remaining ingredients to the pre-ferment, including the soaked seeds (they will have absorbed all the water). With a large rubber spoon, bring the mixture together and continue mixing for a couple of minutes, until it’s fully combined. Leave for 10 minutes so the flour can fully absorb the water. The wet dough will become slightly firmer.
4. 4Step 4: Lightly oil your loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. Dust with rye flour.
5. 5Step 5: Spoon the loose dough in the tin. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with mixed seeds and heavily dredge with rye flour.
6. 6Step 6: Leave to rise. This can take 1½-3 hours (this largely depends on the temperature of your kitchen) when the surface of the bread starts to crack. It’s ready to bake.
7. 7Step 7: Preheat the oven 30 minutes before baking to 230°C fan. *See notes or as high as it will go. Place a tray of water at the bottom of the oven. Put the loaf in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 95℃. Turn 180 degrees (so the front is now at the back of the oven) half way through baking.
8. 8Step 8: Remove from the oven and tip it out of the tin and cool on a wire rack.
9. 9Step 9: Slice when the loaf is completely cold, it's important to let the crumb set. Best left for 4-5 hours or even overnight.