Wrestling With Rye!

Izzy Rules!

Well the results of the first ever Naturally Leavened (almost) Rye Romp are in, and they are mixed. I tried 3 breads; Normandy Rye and Izzy's New York Rye from Breads From LaBrea Bakery and the Naturally Leavened Rye from Crust & Crumb.

First was the Normandy Rye. This starts with a rye starter which is used to make a sponge. The sponge contains the starter, barley malt syrup, water, hi-gluten flour(I used first clear) and dark rye flour. On the second day the dough is made by adding more hi-gluten and dark rye flours, water and fermented apple cider.

Flavors are great. The crust is nice and chewy and the crumb is very moist.

It was Izzy's turn next. Izzy is a one day bread. I was beginning to think that there was no such thing as a one day sourdough. He is different in anohter way as well and I'm thinking that there is a direct relationship between his one day gestation and the difference; commercial yeast.

That's right boys and girls, Izzy gets commercial yeast added to the starter.

Izzy gets his shine from a corn starch glaze painted on as soon as he comes out of the oven. The glaze also protestcs his crunchy, thick crust whis is really, really good.

Last and, sadly, least Is the Naturally Leavened Rye for Crust & Crumb. It calls for the use of rye meal. Rye meal is very coarse and looks more like mulch than flour. I think using it will take some practice.

The dough fermented for 3 hours at room temp. It was shaped and proofed for 2 more hours and then went into the fridge overnight.

The crumb is very dense with very little evidence of oven spring. The bottom of the loaf is even more dense than the top. The crust is thick, cruchy and delicious. The crumb tastes good but looks awful.

I think that the bottom half is more dense than the top means either it was underproofed or that rye gluten, what there is of it, is fragile.

Well 2 outta 3 ain't bad. The results were encouraging enough to ensure that I am not done with this naturally leavened rye thing.