This is an amazing recipe to try if you are new to a true, rye sourdough bread. I love this recipe for its simplicity and hands off approach. As a sourdough baker, you are probably used to your breads requiring many little steps in the fermentation process; laminations, stretch and folds, coil folds. It’s not that it is labor intensive, just several small steps that require you to be available.
This bread, on the other hand, does best the less you handle it. It simply requires mixing the dough, and a room temperature bulk fermentation, prior to pouring it into a bread tin for a cold overnight proof. This dough can be in the fridge for anywhere from 12-48 hours, the longer the cold proof, the more flavor the bread develops. Proceed as your tastes and schedule allows.
What To Expect From This Rye Sandwich Bread
This bread has some similarities in taste and preparation to a true Danish Rugbrod, or a German Roggenbrot, but with a few less steps. There is no soaking or sprouting wheat berries required, nor are there multiple stages and ferments to prepare.
This Rye Bread Has:
- Great texture.
- Great flavor, from the seeds and fennel.
- High fiber, owed to rye, whole grain wheat, and red fife flour.
- A balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat from added seeds.
What Can I Serve This Bread With?
Anything you would enjoy on regular sandwich bread. In particular I love it with:
- Gouda, gruyere, or cheddar topped with honey
- Cream cheese and smoked salmon with capers
- Smoked meat, and mustard
- Aged salami
- Sliced sausage and sauerkraut
- Avocado, salmon, and capers
Bakers’ Percentages
50% rye flour
25 % red fife
25% whole wheat flour (I use whole hard red wheat)
82% hydration
2% salt
4% honey
3% molasses
4% fennel seeds
8% pumpkin seeds 10% sunflower seeds
2% poppy seeds
0.5% diastatic malt powder (optional)
This Recipe Makes:
2 (9×4 loaf pans)
Or
1 (13 x 4 Pullman pan)
Equipment For This Recipe:
- Dough whisk
- Glass bowls
- Digital Scale
- Digital Thermometer
- Pullman pan 13 x 4 or (this recipe will fill one)
- Bread pan 8.5 x 4.5 (this recipe will fill two)
Many rye breads are made with a rye sourdough starter, however because this bread is a blend, I used my standard starter. To learn how to make your own; check out Beginners Guide to Creating a Bubbling Starter. Looking for more rye bread recipes? Check out my 75% Multigrain Sourdough Bread Recipe, with Rye and Fennel.
50% Rye, Whole Grain Sourdough Sandwich Bread
An easy sourdough bread recipe, for any baker who is new to rye breads. The fennel and seeds in this recipe give this bread amazing texture and taste.
24+
servingsIngredients
1000 g flour 500g of rye, 250 g red fife, 250g whole wheat,
820 g water
200 g sourdough starter
22 g salt
30 g molasses
40 g honey
100 g sunflower seeds
80 g pumpkin seeds
20 g poppy seeds
40 g fennel
Directions
- Refresh your sourdough starter 3-6 hours before mixing dough.
- Measure and combine flour and salt in one bowl and set aside. Measure and combine fennel and seeds in another bowl and set aside.
- With a dough whisk, or fork, combine sourdough starter, with water, molasses, and honey. Add flour mixture and salt, continuing to mix until well combined, followed by adding remaining seeds and fennel. Stir for another 2-3 minutes until everything is incorporated.
- Cover bowl with loose lid or plastic wrap, as well as a dishtowel. Allow 6-12 hours’ bulk fermentation at room temperature.
- After dough has increased by about 50% you can transfer it to a Pullman or regular bread pan.
- Line pan with parchment. I like to use 3 pieces of parchment so I have square corners and a better fit. Cut one piece of parchment to cover the bottom and up the two sides of your pan, and another two pieces that cover ¼ of the bottom of the pan and up each end. Place the two pieces of parchment in pan first, then the larger center piece. Spray with oil. Scoop dough into pan, or into one pan if using a 13 x 4 Pullman pan, or two pans if using a 9 x 4 bread tins. Cover with plastic wrap, but do not seal completely.
- At this point the dough to sit at room temperature for a few hours in the tin, or place directly in refrigerator for cold proof.
- Cold proof anywhere from 12-48 hours.
- When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator, and preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, once up to temperature, immediately reduce to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The two 9 x 4 bread tins will take between 60-90 minutes to bake, and the 13 x 4 Pullman tin will take 90-110 minutes. Because ovens can vary in how they hold heat, check the bread with a thermometer for an internal temperature of 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow bread to cool on rack for minimum two hours. The flavor of the bread develops if left for a day before slicing. For the first 2-3 days’ store on counter in bread bag or wrapped in cotton dishtowel. For longer storage pre-slice and freeze for up to two months.
Hi Rachel,
What does the malt do for the 50% rye, whole grain sourdough bread?
Thanks!!
Hi Stephen,
Thank you for your question. The malt is mostly a flavour enhancer, and may play a small part in adding to the fermentation process. I have substituted the malt with both non-alcoholic beer, as well as just water. In both cases the bread still turned out very nice.