Ruisreikä

Ruisreikä is a Finnish term that translates literally to "rye hole." It refers to a traditional method of baking rye bread in Finland. The term specifically describes a small, often irregularly shaped hole or opening that appears on the surface of a rye bread loaf during baking. This phenomenon is a natural result of the bread's structure and the baking process, particularly with dense rye doughs.

The presence of a ruisreikä is not considered a defect; rather, it is often seen as a sign of authentic, homemade rye bread. The hole is formed as steam escapes from within the dough during its rapid expansion in the hot oven. Rye flour, with its lower gluten content compared to wheat flour, can create a denser crumb, making this steam release more pronounced. Bakers traditionally welcomed the ruisreikä as an indication that the bread had baked through properly and developed its characteristic crust and texture. The size and location of the ruisreikä can vary depending on the recipe, the dough's hydration, and the oven's temperature. While modern baking techniques sometimes aim to minimize such occurrences for aesthetic uniformity, the ruisreikä remains a nostalgic and recognized feature of traditional Finnish rye bread baking.