Rye bread comes in many shapes and sizes, and this sourdough rye bread is based on the German style "Mischbrot" using part rye and part wheat. It's a bit lighter than a full-on rye, but packed with wonderful flavor.
![Rye bread comes in many shapes and sizes, and this sourdough rye bread is based on the German style "Mischbrot" using part rye and part wheat. It's a bit lighter than a full-on rye, but packed with wonderful flavor. sourdough rye bread side on with slices in front of rest of loaf](jpg/sourdough-rye-bread-photo.jpg)
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If you have ever traveled in Scandinavia, Germany or Eastern Europe, you have probably come across some of the darker bread available. Some are a deep almost chocolate color while others are lighter.
Where does the brown come from? Rye.
![Rye bread comes in many shapes and sizes, and this sourdough rye bread is based on the German style "Mischbrot" using part rye and part wheat. It's a bit lighter than a full-on rye, but packed with wonderful flavor. sourdough rye bread overhead shot](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-ohead-pic.jpg)
Rye used to be more commonly used across Europe but it was often considered the inferior grain to wheat, in part because it is lower in gluten so gives a denser loaf. The past issues of it getting a fungus, ergot, that was potentially fatal didn't help either.
However these days there are no longer the fungus issues and while it isn't as popular elsewhere, it is most definitely well loved in Northern and Eastern Europe. I remember living in Germany as a student and even the local supermarket had a huge bread counter with fresh bread in a dizzying range of varieties. I'd say around three quarters had rye at least in part.
Various trips to Sweden and Denmark have been similar, although maybe with a few less varieties but still a mix of pure rye bread and ones mixed part wheat and rye.
![Rye bread comes in many shapes and sizes, and this sourdough rye bread is based on the German style "Mischbrot" using part rye and part wheat. It's a bit lighter than a full-on rye, but packed with wonderful flavor. sourdough rye bread with a slice topped with cheese in front of rest of loaf](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-picture-cheese.jpg)
How does rye compare to wheat?
Rye has a lower glycemic index than wheat but it is still one of the grains that contains gluten. Being lower in gluten, it can be a bit hard to work with if you are using just rye. It doesn't have that "stretchiness" and it can be hard to get a good rise, if any at all. That's why a lot of 100% rye breads are very dense.
As a result, many loaves combine rye with wheat in various combinations (like a French country bread, pain de campagne). While wheat is higher in protein, rye has more fiber, so combining them you get some of the benefit of both, as well as it being easier to work with.
![sourdough rye bread ready to bake sourdough rye bread ready to bake](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-ready-to-bake.jpg)
What are the ingredients in rye bread?
This can vary, but the core ingredients are rye flour, water and salt. In some cases, you will use yeast but with a sourdough rye bread like this you use a sourdough starter that has natural yeast.
As I mentioned, pure rye can lead to a very dense bread. Mixing rye with wheat flour, though, makes it a bit lighter and much better as an everyday bread. In fact the traditional French pain de campagne has just a little rye but it makes it a much more interesting flavor than plain wheat.
This loaf is still just part rye, but a higher proportion and you really get the flavor, especially as a sourdough, and the nutrition.
![kneading sourdough rye bread kneading sourdough rye bread](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/kneading-sourdough-rye-bread.jpg)
What distinguishes a German Mischbrot?
"Mischbrot" means "mixed bread" and is a term used for a loaf made with a rye and wheat flour mix.
In general, most German breads are sourdough, although this doesn't necessarily mean using a sourdough starter. It can mean making a "sponge" with yeast that then develops overnight. I'd call this more of a semi-sourdough.
Here, though, I have gone for a full sourdough using a starter that I can then also use for future loaves.
![sourdough rye bread starter day 3 sourdough rye bread starter day 3](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-starter-day-3.jpg)
The stages in making sourdough rye bread
Let me get it out there: this isn't exactly a quick loaf to make. However none of the stages take very long or are difficult.
Step one: sourdough starter
The starter is the part that takes the most time overall, but it will take you literally a minute, if that, each time you tend to it. A sourdough starter basically involves combining flour and water into a paste and leaving it to ferment. You don't need to add yeast as it develops naturally from the flour and natural yeasts in the air.
Each day you add more water and flour and after a couple days it will start to bubble. The above is after 3 days, below after 5 when it is most definitely ready to use.
I used some tips from this sourdough rye starter article by using bottled (mineral) water slightly warmed in the microwave to be tepid. It worked just fine, though if you find your starter isn't bubbling, give it a couple extra days.
What do you do with the leftover starter?
You can keep the leftover starter and use it for future loaves or other baked goods - you can use the rye starter as you would a wheat one, it will just give a slightly different flavor.
If you don't need to use the starter again immediately, you can keep it dormant in the fridge. Then take some out to feed again a couple days before you next need it.
Time commitment: about a minute a day over 5 days
![sourdough rye bread starter day 5 sourdough rye bread starter day 5](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-starter-day-5.jpg)
Step 2: sponge
The "sponge" is almost like a cross between the first rise of a loaf and a bigger starter. It is still a runnier mixture than the bread itself would be, but it is around half the volume of the loaf (though can be less).
A number of German Mischbrot (or similar breads) start at this stage and use yeast in with the flour and water rather than some of the sourdough starter. All you need to do is mix things together then give it the 24 hour rise.
What I found was that the mixture clearly grew in volume but didn't have any obvious bubbles on the top. However as you can see in the photo below, when you pulled back some of the mixture it had air pockets underneath.
Time commitment: about a minute then leave for 20-24 hours.
![sourdough rye bread sponge after rise sourdough rye bread sponge after rise](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-sponge-after.jpg)
Stage 3: forming the loaf
The final stage before baking is adding the additional flours and forming the loaf itself. It's at this point that it goes from being all rye to part wheat. Sine there is some what I knead the loaf a little but it doesn't need much.
I have added a little molasses which isn't particularly traditional, although it is used in some loaves. You can miss it out as it's not all that much anyway, but I like to think it adds a little to the flavor.
After the slight knead, flour a bread basket or line a bowl with a clean cloth and dust with flour. Form the bread into a ball and put in the basket/bowl and cover for a final short rise. It should more or less double, but may not be quite as much as that.
Time commitment: 5 minutes before final 2 hour rise
![sourdough rye bread before final rise sourdough rye bread before final rise](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-pre-rise.jpg)
After the final rise, dust a baking sheet with cornmeal and put the loaf on top. Score the top of the loaf slightly (ideally with a razor or lame, the name for the scoring tool but otherwise with a sharp thin knife). Leave it to sit while the oven heats up then put it in.
You want to have some steam in the oven to help it get a nice crust so I put a baking dish in while the oven heats and then put boiling water in it as I add the loaf.
![sourdough rye bread after final rise sourdough rye bread after final rise](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-after-rise.jpg)
This sourdough rye bread is a little heavier than a purely wheat loaf but with a lovely depth of flavor. A tight crumb but not too dense, gently nutty but not too sour. It keeps pretty well for a couple of days and is perfect for sandwiches, enjoying as toast or just to snack on.
There really is nothing quite like homemade bread and this one went down so well in our house.
![Rye bread comes in many shapes and sizes, and this sourdough rye bread is based on the German style "Mischbrot" using part rye and part wheat. It's a bit lighter than a full-on rye, but packed with wonderful flavor. whole loaf of sourdough rye bread](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-whole-loaf.jpg)
Try these other homemade breads:
- Japanese milk bread
- Caramelized onion sourdough bread
- Tsoureki (Greek Easter bread, similar to brioche)
- Lemon thyme focaccia
- Sprouted wheat bread
- Plus get more German recipes in the archives.
You may find a proofing basket and lame helpful to make this recipe (affiliate link).
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
Sourdough rye bread
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 4 tablespoon rye starter (see recipe below)
- 1 cup rye flour
- ½ cup water lukewarm
To make loaf
- 1 ½ cups bread flour
- ½ cup rye flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- ½ cup water lukewarm
Instructions
- Mix the sponge ingredients together in a bowl, making sure they are well mixed. Cover the bowl with a cloth or cling wrap/film and leave in a warm place for around 20-24 hours. You should see it noticeably grow in size and you may see bubbles form.
- After the rise, mix in the additional flours, salt, molasses and water. Tip the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or two. It should be soft but not sticky.
- Dust a bread basket with flour or line a large bowl with a clean cloth and dust with flour. Form the bread into a ball and put in the basket/lined bowl. Cover and leave to rise another 2 hours.
- When ready to bake, dust a baking sheet with cornflour, put the loaf on top and score a couple of lines or a design with a razor/lame or sharp knife. Let it sit as you preheat the oven to 425F/230C (or a little higher if your oven will go higher). Put a small baking dish in the bottom of the oven and boil some water.
- When the oven has heated, put the loaf in on the baking sheet in the middle. Add some boiling water to the baking dish to create steam then close and bake for around 35 minutes, possibly slightly longer, until it is a nice even brown and is hollow sounding when you tap.
- Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow it to cool before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Rye sourdough starter
Ingredients
Day 1
- 2 ½ tablespoon rye flour
- ¼ cup water 52g/60ml, lukewarm
Day 2
- 2 ½ tablespoon rye flour
- ¼ cup water 52g/60ml, lukewarm
Day 3
- 2 ½ tablespoon rye flour
- ¼ cup water 52g/60ml lukewarm
Day 4
- 2 ½ tablespoon rye flour
- ¼ cup water 52g/60ml, lukewarm
Instructions
- On the first day, mix together the flour and water until it forms a thick paste, cover but loosely and leave in a warm place for 24 hours
- The next day, stir the mixture then add the additional flour and water. Mix them in, then cover and set aside overnight again.
- Repeat each day - by the third or fourth day it should be showing a good level of bubbles. It should be fine to use on the 4th day, but you can also feed again and use on the 5th day.
- After you have taken some out to use for the loaf, you can either feed again to keep it alive and then keep taking some out as you need it to use or as it gets too big. Alternatively, you can cover and let it 'sleep' in the fridge. Then when you need it, take some out, feed it in the same way as above and it should come back to life after a day or two.
Notes
Nutrition
We're having a celebration of bread for World Bread Day today! See more tasty ideas:
- Bao Buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Cheesy Garlic Sourdough Focaccia from Cooking with Carlee
- Chocolate Babka from Amy's Cooking Adventures
- Chocolate Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Dinner Rolls from Cooking for My Soul
- White Chocolate Mocha Braid from The Baking Fairy
- Yemarina Yewotet Dabo (Ethiopian Honey Bread) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Remember to pin for later!
![This step by step tutorial takes you through every step to make a delicious German style sourdough rye bread, including the starter. It's easier than you think! This is a part rye part wheat loaf (Mischbrot) giving it the tasty flavor you would expect from rye and sourdough but without being too dense. It makes a great everyday loaf. #sourdough #ryebread #homemadebread This step by step tutorial takes you through every step to make a delicious German style sourdough rye bread, including the starter. It's easier than you think! This is a part rye part wheat loaf (Mischbrot) giving it the tasty flavor you would expect from rye and sourdough but without being too dense. It makes a great everyday loaf. #sourdough #ryebread #homemadebread](https://www.carolinescooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sourdough-rye-bread-pin.jpg)
Sherry Robertson
My mom made the best rye bread I have ever tasted. Her family is German and she always used a sponge made with potatoes and the water. I still have the crock she used. When I tried it with a sponge, my house smelled like a brewery the next morning! My rye starter is going crazy so going to give this today! Will let you know how it turns out. The recipe sounds great though.
Caroline's Cooking
Oh how interesting! I love hearing about family traditions like these, hope you like this take on rye.
Veronica
I have learned that sourdough sponges when truly ready will float in the water and that is how you know it is ready to use. Your sponge does not float I have made 5 loaves and not once have they risen unless I add yeast. I have fed my sourdough starter everyday for three weeks and it is does float why isn’t the sponge floating?
Caroline's Cooking
So a couple things to note on this recipe - first, it's a relatively low-rise rye in the first place, so is never going to have large air pockets as you might see in some other loaves. The other thing is the starter described here works fine if you are just making it for this recipe as it is basically a 'new' starter, but it is not what you typically do in terms of discarding some of the starter and so doesn't work to maintain it this way. If you intend to keep this starter going for longer before using or to use for additional loaves, you really need to be discarding some and feeding the remainder to keep a higher level of new 'food' for the yeast and also keep the pH balance of the starter. Typically you weigh the starter you are keeping and add the same weight of water and flour to it (so if, for example you have 100g starter, you add 100g flour and 100g (100ml) water). Hope these help.
Malou
Hi, is there a substitute for molasses you would recommend? I'm not very fond of the black stuff. Many thanks. Your bread sounds great. I'll make a load as soon as I hear back. Cheers
Caroline's Cooking
It won't be quite the same, but a bit of brown sugar should also work.
Angela
Hello!
I am really excited to bake this today! I’ve always wanted to try making sourdough rye but could never make the time commitment to actually do it but after coming across this recipe it didn’t seem so scary anymore after reading through the steps.
I am now on day 6 of making this loaf and going to finish the dough and bake it later today. I had a few issues with My starter (despite following the steps exactly) as it seemed to separate on the 4th day of feeding it with a visible layer of water on the top (maybe I didn’t mix together enough the day before or it wasn’t in a warm enough space) and my sponge that I make yesterday looks dry on the top compared to the pictures with this recipe. Fingers crossed that My first attempt at making bread will turn out!
Caroline's Cooking
Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been away. I hope it worked out, and glad you found the description made it sound doable! So just for future reference - the slight separation in the starter just means it is needing fed. With most starters, you tend to discard some of the starter each time you feed it, so you in effect have a higher proportion of new water and flour to existing starter. You certainly can do that here, but you don't absolutely need to which is why it's not written that way. If the sponge was dry, did you maybe cover with a cloth? It might be that it would be better with cling wrap/film to help keep moisture in (some can depend on how dry the environment is too). Hope this helps for a future bake!
Anastasia
Wonderful bread, thank you for the recipe! It's still warm, and we're already half way through it 🙂
Caroline's Cooking
So glad to hear you enjoyed (and completely understand eating it while still warm 🙂 )
Molly
This was my first time making a real bread! It came out so perfect. I followed the directions to a T and I am so happy I did, because this is honestly better than any expensive bakery loaf I have ever eaten. I can't belief how perfectly crunchy the outside is and how chewy and delicious the inside is. It brought me back to Zingerman's bread in Ann Arbor during grad school 🙂
Caroline's Cooking
I'm so glad to hear it worked out well and that you enjoyed (and that it beat bakery bread, hooray!)
Jordan
Thank you for this recipe, I've got the sponge stage fermenting right now. Question: Can I cook this in a 9x5 loaf pan? Thanks! -Jordan
Caroline's Cooking
I haven't tried this in a loaf pan but I think it should work. The amount of ingredients is a little more than other breads I make in a loaf pan but it doesn't rise quite as much as some either, so it may be pretty full but hopefully will still fit - if it seems too much, then you might need to hold a little back or use a slightly larger loaf pan, if you have one.
Jordan
Thanks Caroline! Yes, once everything was mixed it did look like too much for my loaf pan. I ended up using a larger ceramic pan with a lid (I don't have a dutch oven), keeping the lid on for the first half as you suggested to the commenters using a dutch oven. It made a lovely crusty, flavorful loaf, delicious! Next time I'll add an extra half tsp of salt because I'm a salt fiend.
Caroline's Cooking
Glad to hear it worked out well!
sue
Thank you for the recipe! I think I messed it up by using wheat I stead of white/bread flour. My dough is rising but is slow. Do you think it will work?
Caroline's Cooking
I haven't tried with whole wheat so it's a little hard to say, however it has a lower level of gluten forming protein, which is the main reason for using the bread flour - rye is already low so it helps to give a little lift. It will rise relatively slowly either way between the sourdough and rye, but may take a bit longer with the whole wheat. Also the end loaf will probably be a bit denser, but hopefully as long as it has time to rise it will still taste good!
Sue
Thank you so much for your response. I let it rise overnight and it did rise, will try baking it and see how it turns out.
Sue
In spite of the fact that I used whole wheat flour, my bread turned out delishious! I baked it in a dutch oven, texture and flavor are great! Thank you again!
Caroline's Cooking
Great, glad to hear it worked out well!
Alison Cowie
I'm just up after letting the sponge rise overnight. I checked in the night and it was rising well. This morning 12 hrs after beginning it has fallen. I wonder if it was too warm and should I just go ahead with the recipe or discard the sponge ?
Caroline's Cooking
It's hard to say for sure without being there to see all the ins and outs but I'd say as long as you still have some pockets of air, it should be fine to move to next stage.
Alison
Thanks Caroline. The dough looked good at about 1am, maybe the room was too warm.Perhaps when the room cooled overnight it sunk. I'm game to give it a go!
Thanks
Caroline E Wise
Hi Caroline!
My sponge seems very dry. It is basically a ball of dough. Should I add more water?
Caroline's Cooking
I'd say it sounds like you need to, yes - if you see the picture above where I say "step 2 - sponge" above, this is my sponge and so you'll see it is relatively moist.
Deborah Katcher Buckley
Can this be baked in a Dutch oven?
Caroline's Cooking
Yes you could - I'd suggest part (roughly half) with lid on then part off. There's no need to put a dish with water in the oven to create steam if you do that, as the lid on the dish will give the same effect. And keep an eye towards the end as it may take more/less time to bake. Enjoy!
CJ
This recipe helped us make a delicious loaf that immediately raised our spirits. And it was properly sour, too. We devoured a few warm slices right away, then enjoyed the rest with avocado the next day. The only problem is that we ate it too quickly! Thanks for the recipe -- the heartiness of the rye pairs really well with how sour our started came out.
Caroline's Cooking
I'm so glad to hear! I agree rye and sourdough really do work so well together. And fast disappearing is indeed a challenge we have too 🙂
Jan
I am trying this recipe for the first time. My starter is very active; it's not a rye starter but it has been going strong for 4or5 years. The sponge has been resting for 14 hours and doesn't seem to have increased in volume at all. Should I toss it and start over?
Caroline's Cooking
Rye definitely doesn't give as much indication of rising as wheat flour, I feel. I'd suggest peeling back a very small bit to the side and see if you have any air pockets formed, to get a sense of if it's active at all. Then give it the rest of the resting time as well, as I think it does definitely need the full 20-24 hours. Hopefully it will be doing something! If it still doesn't appear to have worked, you could add yeast to help it along and treat it as a "regular" loaf in terms of having an hour or two first rise. That way, it saves wasting and you should still get some of the sourdough flavor, if nothing else. Good luck!
Marilyn
This is the most delicious rye bread! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My first attempt turned out very well ( beginner's luck.) I did however have a bit of trouble transfering the raised dough from the basket to the cornmeal dusted pan. Any hints for this manuever? My dough was not stuck to the floured cloth but trying to tip it out of the basket resulted in a loss of height and shape? I am not quite sure how this should be done. Thanks for your help 🙂
Caroline's Cooking
Glad to hear you enjoyed! Unfortunately the dough can lose a little of it's shape when you tip it out, that's partly just bread in general but particularly the rye. One way you could lessen it is if you put the dough in the fridge for say an hour or so before baking - I'd suggest you do this as additional rise time since it will rise very slowly in the fridge unless it's for a long time. The colder temperature will help firm up the dough so it should hold its form a little more.
Alisa O'Mara
I am going to try this right away! Looks great! I've been looking for a simpler rye sourdough recipe and I really like yours. I'll comment again once I make the bread. It will go great with our corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day. 🙂
Caroline's Cooking
Great, hope you enjoy and I look forwards to hearing how it goes!
Debbie Hayes
Could I use the rye starter and then just white bread flour? So no further rye flour added?
Caroline's Cooking
Yes you could, just be aware that it won't be that heavily rye tasting and also the amount of flour will probably not be the same since the flours don't act quite the same - you will have to take a guess a bit to get the right consistency.
Nancy Linder
I am trying this with a bread machine and so far so good. When I have gotten this perfected, which I hope tp, will send you the steps. Nancy
Caroline's Cooking
Will be interested to hear how it goes!
Hannah
what did you do for the bread machine recipe?
Heidi Ordelheide
Hi, do you know if I could use sprouted rye and sprouted red wheat in this recipe?
Caroline's Cooking
I haven't tried it, but certainly in principle I don't see why not. You might have to see if you need to adjust the amount of flour or water, as the flours can behave a little differently. Sprouted flours can need a bit more water, so keep an eye on if it seems dry. Let me know how it works out if you try!
Bruce
My dough always comes out sticky, this and other recipes. That am I doing wrong, and how do I fix it?
Caroline's Cooking
It's hard to know exactly without knowing at what point you mean. Generally a sticky dough early on can be one of two things - the most common is the ratio of flour to liquid is not quite right, so you might need to either use a little less water and/or add a little more flour. Just add a little as you go when you knead. The other part is kneading takes away some of the stickiness and makes it smoother. So if you knead a few minutes, adding a little flour now and then as you need it, it should hopefully stop being as sticky. If it gets a bit sticky after rising, it should still be fine as long as it was OK earlier, just try to form as usual and let it rise again.
Laura
Hello, the rye starter says it makes enough for 5 loaf, how long will the starter last and if it’s for a while where is the best place to keep it? Excited to make this!
Caroline's Cooking
So you have a couple options - you can keep it active by feeding it each day, removing some as needed, in the same way as you do as you are 'growing' it initially. As long as you keep feeding and removing some, it will stay active. Just keep it at a gently warm room temperature. Alternatively, you can cover and store it in the fridge to keep it dormant for roughly up to a week. Then take it out and feed it a few days to 'wake it up'. Enjoy!
Marta
Hey! Im really excited to try this bread. i tried before making rye bread (its my favorite), but somehow it always is a little raw inside. What should be the temperature inside?
Caroline's Cooking
I'm afraid I am not sure, I have never tested the temperature when baking bread as I would always be nervous that by testing it too early I'd deflate the loaf. I instead go for the test of tapping on the bottom to see if it sounds hollow. Hope it works out and you enjoy!
Ricardo
Hello, is it possible to use only rye flour and not adding the bread flour when making the loaf?
Caroline's Cooking
Yes, you can make a purely rye loaf but it will be a denser texture. I've yet to try this style that way myself, but from other rye breads, that's the typical result. On the other hand, it will have a stronger rye flavor which if you like rye bread anyway, you may like.
Kelly
I just tried this for the first time. It came out pretty great and I am not a huge rye fan, trying it out for my dad who loves rye! It came out resembling a bit of a mushroom, like it grew from the bottom. I’ve never had that happen before, not sure if scoring was supposed to be deeper than I am used to. I love the texture and will definitely be adding this to the rotation! I did learn a valuable lesson as well....don’t use a glass baking dish for boiling water....whoops! Now to clean up a whole lot of glass in the oven 😆
Caroline's Cooking
Glad to hear you enjoyed! Yes it's definitely a good intro to or compromise on rye being less heavy etc. It may be that you needed a bit more scoring, but great that the texture was still good. And definitely unfortunate on the dish!
Sheila Clark
...after taking your starter out of the fridge....how long before you can start your sponge....
Caroline's Cooking
You will need to feed it again after it has been in the fridge to get it back to being bubbly and active - this is typically a day or two. Once it is active, you can make the sponge as in the main recipe. Enjoy!
Pat
Went with white flour for first attempt although I still intend to try whole wheat. Like to try recipes before making changes. This bread was just lovely! Have tried making rye bread before, and while the results were good, they were nothing like what I expected a rye bread to be. This recipe is what I was looking for!
Caroline's Cooking
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, and agree it's a great base recipe to experiment with.
pat
Can whole wheat bread flour be used when making this loaf?
Caroline's Cooking
Yes you could use whole wheat bread flour instead of regular bread flour, just be aware it will come out a bit heavier.
Lorraine Parente
Hi there,
I am in the middle of making this bread. I was so worried about the starter I did read the rest that carefully beforehand. I have never ever come across a bread recipe where you immediately shape the loaf the way you do and I was wondering if that was written accidentally. Most of my recipes come from King Arthur Flour or Rose Beranbaum if I want to torture myself...lol. Maybe that is just what I am accustomed to. I'd love to hear your thoughts......
Caroline's Cooking
Hi Lorraine, yes this is right - what you are probably more used to is having 2 rises, and so the first one isn't formed as a loaf but then the last one is. Here, the sponge rise stage is in effect taking the place of the 1st rise, so that's why you form it in to a loaf for the first rise. It does mean, however, it's the only one as a whole loaf. While it's more unusual, it is actual typical for this type of loaf. Hope it works out for you!
Lorraine Parente
I made another loaf this morning and did as you instruct. It had to rise a little more than 2 hours. Then I got caught up with something and had to throw it in the fridge for a while. This dough is indestructible!!!! This was my first attempt at a sourdough and it is really delicious. What a difference in flavor. Oh, the only thing I changed was I used barley malt syrup instead of molasses since I already bought a jar. Truthfully, both ways I let the dough rise worked just fine. Thanks so much for your time and a great experience.......
Caroline's Cooking
So glad you enjoyed it, I agree the flavor is great and the dough is pretty robust!
Jill
My favorite rye bread is the Jewish Rye which is soured. How close in flavour, consistency, etc is this sour dough rye to Jewish rye?
Caroline's Cooking
It's been a little while since I've had Jewish rye to do too close a comparison, and they can vary too, but this is more like a light Jewish rye - I think they are similar in the slightly sour taste, but this has a little less of a rye flavor than a typical Jewish rye (which often tends to use a pumpernickel-style flour). I also haven't used caraway as is also common in a Jewish rye, although you certainly could add some here. Consistency is probably quite similar.
Adrianne
I would like to get an avocado and spread it all over this rye bread, it looks so good! Great recipe!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, sounds like a great idea!
Natalie
I love rye bread! Looks so delicious and nothing beats a good homemade bread ♥
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, and I agree homemade bread is something special!
Judy Best
I was recently on a Rhine River cruise withe Viking. They served a German bread (sliced thin and possibly had nuts) with creme fraiche, cucumbers, smoked salmon and fresh dill. It was amazing. I would love to replicate this bread. Can you help?
Caroline's Cooking
Germany has an incredibly diverse mix of breads - it was one of the things I loved about living there! - many with seeds in them (which is probably what you thought were nuts - they might have been but seeds are more common). It's hard to know what you had without seeing it or trying, as a result, but one of the most common is a bread called pumpernickel. It's a dense rye bread with a dark color. Another slightly lighter bread that's also pretty common is often called "fitness bread" - it too is made with rye but it's a bit lighter both in color and density. I haven't shared recipes for either as yet but hope to at some point!
Patty K-P
I've always found rye bread to be too dry, but your recipe looks like the perfect texture!
Caroline's Cooking
This definitely wasn't a dry bread I think partly with the blend of wheat and rye. Hope you'll give it a try!
Tara
Yum! This is one of my favorite styles of bread, but I haven't actually made it myself yet. I love how you broke down the steps. Definitely need to try this soon.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks, do hope you'll give it a try!
Karen
Wow! What a gorgeous loaf. I love that it takes four days too. You've really mastered rye. Great information on this underappreciated grain.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Karen, especially coming from you who is quite the baker!
All That I'm Eating
I remember eating loads of rye bread in Sweden but it's so hard to find anything that comes close over here. Your loaf looks great, really like the pattern on top too, maybe I should try a homemade rye sourdough!
Caroline's Cooking
I agree, it can be hard to find elsewhere but I've made both a denser Swedish style bread before and this and I do find both worth the effort!