Russian Black Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups rye flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups 100% all-bran cereal
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Preparation

Combine flours. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix 2 1/3 cups flour mixture, sugar, salt, cereal, caraway seed, coffee powder, onion powder, fennel seed and undissolved yeast.
In a sauce pan combine 2 1/2 cups water, vinegar, molasses, chocolate and butter.
Heat liquid mixture over low heat until liquids are very warm (120\u00b0-130\u00b0F), butter and chocolate do not have to be melted.
Gradually add heated liquid mixture to dry ingredients and beat (with electric mixer) for 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1/2 cup flour mixture. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in enough additional flour mixture to make a soft dough. Turn dough on to a lightly floured board. Cover dough and let rest for 15 minutes.
Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 10-15 minutes), dough may be sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning dough to grease the top. Cover bowl and place in a warm, draft free place to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
Punch dough down; turn out onto a lightly floured board. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a ball, about 5 inches in diameter. Place each ball into the center of a greased 8-inch round cake pan. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Bake at 350\u00b0F for 40-45 minutes, or until done.
Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and cold water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture stats to boil; continue cooking mixture for 1 minute stirring constantly.
As soon as bread is baked, brush cornstarch mixture over top of loaves. Return bread to oven and bake 2-3 minutes longer, or until glaze is set. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire racks.
**I have made this recipe both\"as is\" and also omitting the fennel seeds and onion powder. Omitting the fennel seed and onion powder changes the flavor a bit, but it is still a very good bread.