Walnut Rye Bread (Amsterdam Style)

Add water, melted butter, brown sugar, and cardamom to your bread machine pan. Layer the flours on top, then create a small well for the salt and yeast on opposite sides — keep them separated until mixing begins. (This hydration sits at about 71%, perfect for the rye inclusion. Gertrude would approve of the precision here.)

Select whole wheat or fruit/nut cycle with medium crust setting. Start the machine and monitor the initial mix.

After 5 minutes of mixing, check dough consistency. It should form a slightly sticky but cohesive ball. Adjust with water or flour by the teaspoon as needed — rye flour can be temperamental. (Rye doesn't develop gluten like wheat, so expect a denser, more compact dough structure.)

Add toasted walnuts when the machine signals, typically during the final kneading phase. Let the machine complete its full cycle.

Remove from pan immediately when cycle completes and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. The crumb needs time to set. (Patience here is everything — cutting too early will give you gummy bread, not the dense, nutty crumb this deserves.)