Danish Spiced Rye Bread (Sigtebrod)

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 0.5 cup light molasses
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon anise seed
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 1 tablespoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 0.25 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rye flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Steps

1. Heat milk in a medium saucepan until scalding, small bubbles form around edges, and just before reaches a boil; remove pan from heat. Stir in 1 cup water, molasses, sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, orange zest, anise seed, caraway seed, cardamom, and salt; steep and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Stir yeast into 1/4 cup warm water in a bread machine; let sit for 5 minutes. Add cooled milk-spice mixture to yeast mixture, then add all-purpose and rye flours. Run dough cycle according manufacturer's instructions.
3. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. When dough cycle complete, remove dough from machine; divide in half. Form into 2 loaves; place in the prepared loaf pans. Cover and allow to rise until your finger leaves a small dent when loaves poked, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Bake in the preheated oven until loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 35 to 40 minutes. Brush hot loaves with 3 tablespoons melted butter; cool before serving.