I’ve decided my snowed-in, post-shoveling pastime this weekend will be making Rye Bread. I was reviewing this article for general reference:
Now, I’m wondering what other thoughts or tips are out there.
I haven’t made a rye in many, many years.
I made a rye loaf with levain a few weeks ago - it was REALLY delicious. I used about 35% rye flour (medium) to 65% all-purpose, plus a couple of grams of vital wheat gluten because rye flour doesn’t have as much gluten as wheat. Anyway, I made a high hydration loaf (around 70%) but I noticed that the dough seemed much dryer than 70% hydration does on all-white flour, so that’s something to keep in mind - I would probably go as high as 75% next time.
Anyway, it rose a little slower and was a bit denser than most levain loaves are, but the flavor was STUNNING - nice and sour. I fed my starter this morning just in case I feel the urge to bake during the storm!
Thanks. I’m kinda geeking out in anticipation of spending a whole day baked . . . err, baking.
Been more than a few decades since I’ve made rye bread (man in the house doesn’t care for it) but I remember a recipe I used where potato starch and water were cooked together and brushed on the loaves to get that lovely chewy rye crust.
I make a sourdough rye for the best flavour
I use the rye bread recipe from ABin5, adding KA’s Deli Rye Flavor and shaping into a rough batard/elongated boule. I make the loaf in 2 lb. batches as I find that gives me the right size for making sandwiches. I invariably get raves over this bread but that could partially be because we can’t get any rye bread locally that doesn’t resemble either white bread with seeds or some crunchy, granola loving thing that could have been made with tree bark.
