Sourdough Diaries: Rye SourDough Loaf
Yes, like so many other foodie home cooks, I have started exploring the world of sourdough. I have a preference for a rugged, crusty loaf, made from simple ingredients, that remains plant-based and incorporates whole grains. Surprisingly, this isn’t always the easiest to find. I started my sourdough starter by following another blog’s straightforward post with good reviews, and used whole wheat flour. After many days of praying that my starter would turn into my sourdough golden ticket—it did. I use my sourdough starter semi-weekly, experimenting with sourdough discard and active starter recipes. If you want to follow my journey, keep an eye out for my blog posts labeled “Sourdough Diaries”.
This Loaf is the first recipe that I tried to make, experimenting with hydration and the proportions of bread flour and rye flour. It has a crusty and crunchy crust, sturdy and soft texture inside, flavored with a beloved sour twang and a light rye flavor. It is perfect with vegan butter and cream cheese spreads, avocado toasts, tomato toasts, and even peanut butter.
Tools You May Need:
Parchment paper or Bread Sling
Mixing Bowl with Lid, I enjoy using a clear one so you can see the bread rise without uncovering it.
Lidded Jars (to store your sourdough starter)
Hairties or Rubber Bands, to mark the sourdough levels
Ingredients:
113.5 g Sourdough Starter
198.5 g Water
240 g Bread Flour
60 g Rye Flour
9 g Salt
This makes a small loaf perfect for one person to consume in a week to a week and a half. It can be easily doubled as well!
Instructions
Notes:
You need a stable, warmer environment around 75 degrees fareingheight for the best rise. You can rise in colder or warmer temperatures, but it slows or speeds rise times, respectively. That’s the nature of Sourdough baking. You may need to make a couple of attempts to get your best loaf.
How to check if your sourdough starter is ready:
Did it double in size?
Does a dollop of starter float in water?
How to check if your dough is ready:
Did it double in size?
Does it pass the poke test?
The dough area you poked should be indented, and rise up to fill the indent slowly. If it rises too quickly, it needs more rise time.
Initial dough mix
Add the Water and sourdough starter to your mixing bowl
Mix until it’s all blended. I usually use a fork to do this.
Add Flour and salt and mix until it comes together.
Rise Time
After the first mix, let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.
Over the span of two hours, do four stretch and folds.
What are “stretch and folds”?
This is a process that develops the protein structure in your bread to give it a structured bread texture. To do this, gently grasp a section of your dough and stretch it upward towards you, go as far as you can without breaking it, and tuck it to the other side of the loaf. Moving around the dough circle, do the same to all sides. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes, then do it again. Your dough should gradually get more stretchy with each stretch and fold session. (3-4 sessions)
After your last stretch and fold, let the dough rise for 4-6 hours, depending on how warm or cool your environment is.
After that, place your dough in the fridge for a cold ferment. This can be done overnight, or for 12 - 72 hours. More time equals a more sour flavor!
Baking
After at least 12 hours, remove your dough from the fridge and let it warm slowly to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees farenheight. You may want to place your Dutch oven in the oven to slowly preheat alongside the oven.
Flour your flat working surface and turn your dough out onto it.
I bake a round loaf, shaping is different depending on your final shape.
Shape the dough by bringing all the edges to the middle and pinching them together. Then turn over and push around on the working surface in a back-and-forth or circular motion to smooth the pinched bottom.
Move your dough to parchment paper or a baking sling.
When the oven reaches 450, uncover the Dutch oven, add bread in, and cover—verifying that the lid is on firmly. This is to ensure the steam prevents your dough crust from hardening too quickly and not rising enough.
Bake covered for 35-40 minutes
Uncover.
Bake uncovered for 10-12 minutes, until sufficiently crusty.