So rye bread – definitely NOT a fan. But it is good to work with a heavier grain to keep the mind going- right? Matt, Jenny and Dave like Rye bread so I have been working with a recipe and slowly making it work! I use a heavy rye flour which acts a lot like the barley whole wheat flour I use. I make this in an oval banneton but you can use a baguette loaf pan or boule banneton. I have also found using a counter/bench scraper very useful.
Ingredients:
Rye levain : take 1/2 cup established sourdough starter and feed it with 1/4 cup rye flour and 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit overnight.
Bread recipe: mix rye levain with 280 ml (or grams) warm water at 85-90F, 10 grams sugar or honey, 125 g Heavy Rye flour, 25 grams gluten flour, 175 g unbleached wheat flour and 7 g salt. 2 tsp caraway seeds
I add gluten to this recipe because the heavy rye can really slow down the rise. You can use bread flour instead of the unbleached bread or a lighter rye and skip the additional gluten flour. Also it is slightly wetter at the start ( called a shaggy dough) because the rye flour will slowly absorb water as the dough comes together. You can also cheat by adding a packet of dried yeast at the start to speed up the rise, but it will take away some of the sourness of the sourdough.
Directions: I mix this in a bread machine on dough ( everything except caraway seeds) to save my wrists but it can be mixed thoroughly by hand. The bread machine will do the kneading for you. If by hand, wait about 20 minutes after mixing to knead the dough. I like the envelope kneading process of flattening the dough, folding in the edges to the middle, and flattening again. I do that twice. Then rest about 30 or so minutes, and knead a second time. You should feel the dough becoming less sticky and more elastic. If it is still sticky, you can add a tbsp or so of flour at a time until it is soft but not sticky. It is a dense dough. Add caraway seeds at the end of the knead,
Let the dough rise for 4-10 hours until doubled in the banneton or bowl. If you use a banneton, remember to put the dough seam side up so it has the proper orientation when you flip it onto the baking sheet. Rising takes at least 4 hours in a warm kitchen. I often let it rise overnight in the fridge and then 2 hours more afterwards. This intensifies the rye and sour flavors. It will be rounded on top with a smooth “skin” when fully risen.
Place your dough on its cooking surface or loaf pan. I like to use a cookie sheet with a lightly sprayed silicone pad on it. Be careful with manipulating the dough too much. Let rest another 30 minutes or so.
Cook at 425F with a pan of water beneath the bread pan. I put a pizza stone under the bread but it must be fully hot before you put the bread into the oven. Wait about 10 minutes after the oven says it is preheated. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the bread reads 190-210F.
