Rye Bread - 1st try, 2 types

 

Introduction

In the interest of exploring more interesting flavor options I want to start baking with some different whole grains. I thought a nice classic rye would be a good place to begin. I haven't worked much with rye & from what I have read it is a lot different from wheat flour as it does not have the amount of gluten necessary to form a strong dough. Because of this, it is typically mixed with wheat flour at some percentage to improve dough strength and rising ability. I tested out 2 recipes with different proportions of rye flour.

Materials & Methods 

• Both formulas need a portion of rye sourdough.   

Rye Sourdough Starter (~80%)

Rye Flour Water Starter

Mass 362 300g 17g

Percentage 100% 83% 5%

• This starts out like thick clay.
• Let it ferment at RT for 24h until it puffs up. It didn't rise much but I could smell a strong odor of fermentation develop.

40% Rye with Caraway

B Flour Water Rye Starter (80%) Salt Yeast Caraway Seeds

Mass 279g 162g 340g 9g 6g 9g

Percentage 100% 58% 122% 3% 2% 3%

• Roughly mix everything except the starter first, then add the starter
• It will be quite sticky and hard to handle at first. Mix breifly and rest for 15min
•  Finish mixing by kneading together
  
• Use damp hands when folding to avoid sticking 
• Leave to bulk ferment at RT for an hour

65% Sourdough Rye 

B Flour Rye Flour Water Rye Starter (80%) Salt

Mass 189g 161g 249g 340g 11g

Percentage 54% 46% 71% 97% 3%

• Roughly mix together everything except the starter first, then add the starter
• It will be VERY sticky and hard to handle. Mix breifly and rest for 15min
•  Finish mixing by kneading together
  
• Use damp hands when folding to avoid sticking 
• Leave to bulk ferment at RT for an hour

Timeline:

-- 7:45p 8p 9p 10p 11p

Make the Rye Sourdough the day before baking Mix flours, water, and starter. Let rest for 15m to autolyse. Finish mixing by kneading breifly. Transfer to an oiled bowl with cover for fermentation at RT for 1 h Shape into boules and place in floured bannetons to rise at RT for another hour Bake at the first loaf (40% Rye w Caraway) at 450F for 35min in a covered dutch oven Bake the next loaf (65% Sourdough Rye) at 450F for 35min in a covered dutch oven... remove the cover and bake for another 10 min

Results 

The results here were mixed. The loaf with less rye and added yeast rose and baked up nicely (Figs 1 & 2 left loaf). The loaf with 65% rye however was dense and heavy. It did not rise well and it was overly moist in the middle even though the exterior seemed fully cooked (Figs 1 & 2 right loaf).

Figs 1 & 2. Crust and crumb for 45% caraway rye (left) and 65% sourdough rye (right). You can see the slight marbling from incomplete kneading of the pre-fermented rye with the rest of the dough. This wasn't done on purpose, but its kinda nice

Conclusion

The 45% rye w caraway was really good. It could probably have stood for a bit more rising time and a touch more salt, but the texture and flavor were pretty good. The caraway flavor was just right and there was a nice sour tang from the pre-fermented rye.

The 65% rye sourdough needs work. It definitely needed more salt, and maybe should have lower hydration overall (?). It should also be left to rise for 3-4h at >75F too, instead of 1h at RT. I'll be trying this again so I will update then.