Rye bread is a personal favourite of mine. It has a kind of tang-sour background. Rye flour alone is harder to work with, thus I use a recipe that has bread flour included.
Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water 120g
1/2 cup warm milk 120g
2 tbsp shortening, melted
1/4 cup molasses, darker is better 85g
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast 7g
1 1/2 - 2 cups bread flour 164-240g
1 1/2 cups rye flour 165g
Instructions
PLEASE read Susy’s Tips and Tricks below, before beginning.
Place all 8 ingredients in your bread machine as suggested. Order doesn’t matter unless you are using delayed start.
Use the wholewheat setting for this bread.
Check the dough ball as it forms; at the 6 minute mark. This dough tends to be mildly sticky even when you have the dough mixed properly. It won’t be entirely smooth either as the rye is a bit ‘chunky’.
You may wish to brush the dough with 1 egg/1 tbsp water wash prior to baking.
Remove immediately from pan, after it has baked.
Susy’s Tips and Tricks
Cooler fermentation temps (39-54F / 3.89-12.22c) promote a stronger gluten network. Using acetic acid; buttermilk, yogurt helps too.
Rye dough ball texture
A rye dough ball is not going to be smooth and supple like white flour. It is sticki-ish. To avoid adding extra flour to your dough ball; spray your hands with non-stick spray before handling. The mixing characteristics (rheology) change with the grind size.
Results are gummy?
Gumminess is likely the result of over proofing.
Because of the unique chemistry of rye some prefer to add vital wheat gluten. Others prefer to work with the magic of this unique grain’s chemistry. Without vital wheat gluten the loaf will likely be very dense. You could increase the yeast by 1/2 tsp to help the volume increase.
Others prefer to include bread flour or ap flour to help the loaf rise nicely. Including more of these ingredients will result in a higher rise and finer, lighter textured loaf.
Rye flour can go rancid more quickly. Shelf-life is approximately 6 months. Freeze for longer storage.
Recommended temperature baked 211F/99.4C.
Rye and whole wheat flours need more water; resulting in a loaf that last longer. Thus, rye is an anti-staling loaf. The moist retention-ability of rye is wonderful. You could substitute water for beer for an extra bit of malt flavour.
Another addition that helps with rise, mixing, flavour, etc. Diastatic malt powder.
Diastatic malt power. There two kinds of this product. (Non-diastatic is only for colour and aroma.) Aka Diastatic malt flour, it increases enzymatic activity, texture, flavour, structure, yeast lasts in the dough and increases those great flavours. By improving dough fermentation and texture, diastatic malt results in a bread that retains its moisture and quality for a longer time. Recommended amount: .25%~1%. 1/2-1 tsp per 2-3 cups flour. Be careful. Too much can change the color of the bread to an odd reddish tone and can make the crust very hard.
Preparing a rye loaf can be completed utilizing the wheat setting. You want those longer rise times.
Measure flour by lightly stirring then spooning it in a dry measuring cup. Rye weight varies by variety.
ADJUST the dough ball.
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