[Sourdough] Dark Molasses & Honey Bread

This no-knead sourdough loaf is modeled after the dark, sweet, grainy rye breads I became accustomed to encountering in sandwich shops when I lived in southern California. They usually called it squaw bread (I wonder if they still do…) and it makes an excellent foundation for the veggie-loaded sandwiches they do so well down there.

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Let’s take a moment to talk about molasses, and how it comes to be. When fresh sugar cane is harvested, it is pressed to yield a juice with about 15% sugar by weight. This cane juice is evaporated, and as water is lost, the solution passes its saturation point and sugars start to crystallize. The syrup is spun in a centrifuge to separate the crystals, which undergo further refinement on their way to becoming white sugar. The dark syrup that remains is molasses, and its darkness is a reflection of the complex products of the sugar cane’s plant biochemistry. Among the “impurities” fractionated into molasses from refined sugar are a significant amount of B vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, potassium and selenium.

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Different grades of molasses can be produced in sequential steps of evaporation/extraction. The first batches yield lighter, sweeter syrups. As more sugars are crystallized out, the molasses becomes more dark, bitter and concentrated. Blackstrap molasses is the last stop; after 3 rounds of evaporation, it becomes economically inefficient to extract any more sugar. Blackstrap molasses is the most robustly flavored, lowest in sugar and richest in micronutrients. I love the deeply bittersweet taste, and the bonus nutrition it can bring to baked goods.

My dark bread is made with a blend of rye and wheat flours. I add 1/4 cup per loaf each of molasses and honey, and for even more bitter darkness, I replace half of the water with brewed coffee.

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I was compelled to make this bake happen because my household has been suffering nostalgic cravings for San Diego’s legendary Board and Brew – their Veggie Deluxe sandwich was always the absolute veggiest. I’m pleased to report that the bread made my sandwich taste quite authentic, although I still need to prefect my secret orange sauce (anybody out there have theories to share??)

Outside of sandwiches, this bread is also excellent served warm with butter at dinnertime, steakhouse style. You’ll enjoy it toasted at breakfast, and it makes a pretty cool french toast too!