04 March 2009

Light Rye Bread


After two long weeks of daily feedings, my rye sourdough is finally strong enough to use!  It bubbled out of its jar (how could it not with the showoff potato flour sourdough showing it what it was supposed to do!) yesterday.  As I was cleaning it up and preparing to throw some out so it wouldn't bubble out of it's jar again, I stopped myself and scooped out a portion to use instead!  I wish I would have had time to let the bread cool thoroughly before cutting (that is always the best way), but it still made a mighty tasty accompaniment to lunch.  If you're new to sourdough, here is how you can make your own.

Light Rye Bread by Joie de vivre

Ingredients:

For levain:
1 oz. rye sourdough starter
8 oz. rye flour
8 oz. warmish water

Directions:  

1.  This is a two day process.  Start this bread in the morning to eat it the evening of the next day.  I'll give a sample timeline with the directions.  At 7 am, mix together levain ingredients in a large bowl.  Cover with Saran Wrap and leave 10-12 hours.

Dough Ingredients:

All of levain
8 1/2 oz. bread flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt
4 oz. warmish water

1.  Around 6pm, mix together all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl.  Cover with Saran Wrap.  Leave to rise approximately 2-3 hours.  Around 9pm, fold gently, re-cover and leave to rise overnight.
2.  Around 7am the next morning, place a large square of parchment paper on your pizza peel.  Sprinkle the parchment heavily with flour, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and turn the dough out onto the parchment paper.  Try your best to shape it into a circular loaf.  Cover the loaf with the large bowl and let rest.
3.  Around 11 am, pre-heat your oven with a pizza stone inside to 450 degrees F.  Slash the top of your dough to allow for better rising.  When the oven is preheated, slide the dough, parchment and all, onto the pizza stone.  Spray the dough and the inside walls of the oven with water, every 2 minutes, for the first 10 minutes of baking, to create steam.
4.  Bake for an additional 40 minutes.  Let the bread cool completely before cutting for dinner!

I am submitting my humble rye loaf to Susan over at WildYeast for her YeastSpotting event!

21 comments:

Meg said...

My grandmother would love this!

Peter M said...

The rye turned out wonderfully...and simply prepared with the most basic of ingredients.

Finla said...

Wow that bread looks so yumm. I think there is nothing better than having home made bread.

Lori Lynn said...

Your rye sounds great, I'd like some to go with my borscht.
LL

Wandering Coyote said...

Beautiful job!

Bob said...

Poor baby, had to eat warm bread. ;) Heh. I almost never let my bread cool all the way before I eat it. I just can't help myself!

Donna-FFW said...

This sounds awesome. Id love this with a reuben. Your home must smell so welcoming with all this bread baking. I am envious!

Chef E said...

Donna-FFW had to go and say Reuben, now I want one, lol...your bread journey is turning out to be great...I cannot wait to make my injera with it!

I was wondering if I could add your boys to a Junior Chef Award post I am doing today? They get an award for their helping you, and I would use that pic of them in their outfits!

Laura in Paris said...

I can't believe you make tour own rye bread! Congratulations!
And I love the shot of the two little red angles (or devils?) on te right!

Diana said...

Oooh that looks so yummy! I was so bummed last night my friend made fresh bread but I was too full from dinner beforehand to have any! Maybe I'll have to make some sourdough to make up for it.

Crazy Pants said...

Ahhh bread, my friend. I'm super impressed with your bread making, I can almost smell it from here. Looks delicious.

Tangled Noodle said...

Are you kidding? here's no way freshly-baked bread would ever be allowed to cool down in my household! This is so fabulous - I've been meaning to get my started started so this is the kick in the seat I need!

Mediterranean Turkish Cook said...

It's great that you make your own bread. I've been experimenting too, but I am not there yet :) This looks wonderful.

Teresa Cordero Cordell said...

The rye bread looks scrumptious. I'm picturing St Patty's Day..delicious rye, corned beef and swiss...yum. Good job Joy.

Reeni said...

YUM!! There is nothing better than home-made bread. Who can resist cutting it while it's still warm?! Crusty and delicious!

Anonymous said...

Rye bread is one of my favorites. Once when I was a kid, my mom stopped at the grocery store and let me get a loaf of rye bread for lunch. I don't remember if I finished it, but it was darn delicious!

Elizabeth said...

I love the taste of rye and sourdough together. Every now and then they have a bread like that at work for lunch. Yum!

Mr. Teacher Guy said...

You have no fear when it comes to bread-making! Someday, I'll follow your lead, and stop cheating with the machine! I gave you an award on my bog, check it out when you get a chance!

Purva Desai said...

Bread looks lovely, soft and fluffy

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Beautiful rye bread - one of my favorite breads. I wish I was a better baker and this has inspired me. Thanks.
Sam

Anonymous said...

"Starter destined for compost pile becomes beautiful loaf instead" -- I love it!

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