The best Jewish Sourdough Rye Bread Recipe | Foodgeek Baking

rye flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

sourdough starter

🥗Healthier: store-bought sourdough starter

💰Cheaper: commercial yeast

Commercial yeast is more accessible and quicker to use.

caraway seeds

🥗Healthier: fennel seeds

💰Cheaper: anise seeds

Fennel seeds provide a similar flavor profile.

bread flour

🥗Healthier: all-purpose flour

💰Cheaper: whole wheat flour

All-purpose flour is versatile and often cheaper.

To a medium bowl, add 520 grams of bread flour, 200 grams of light or white rye flour, and 80 grams of whole grain rye flour.

Add 16 grams of salt and 10 grams of caraway seeds. Mix until well distributed.

Add 160 grams of sourdough starter, 20 grams of barley malt syrup, and 536 grams of water. Reserve 50 grams of water in case your flour isn't very absorbent.

Mix together until no dry flour remains and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rest for 1 hour to develop the gluten.

Perform the first set of stretch and folds, then let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Perform the second set of stretch and folds, then let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.

Perform the last set of stretch and folds. Check gluten development by pulling a windowpane. If it fails, rest for another 30 minutes and perform another set of stretch and folds.

Put the dough in a see-through bulking container with straight sides. Level the top of the dough and mark where it will have grown 25%.

Place the dough in a warm area until it has grown 25%.

Drop the dough onto the kitchen counter and weigh the entire dough. Measure out half to create two equal doughs.

Shape each dough into a round using a bench scraper and let them rest on the counter for 20 minutes to relax the gluten.

For the boule, flip it over and pull the sides in to create tension on top. Use a bench scraper to pull the dough over itself, making it tighter each time. Sprinkle caraway seeds on top and flip it into a banneton.

For the bâtard, sprinkle flour on top to prevent sticking. Flip it over, remove excess flour, and pull the dough into a square shape. Fold the bottom up over the middle, fold each side in, and fold the top down while tucking in the sides. Roll up the dough and seal it, then sprinkle with caraway seeds and flip into the banneton.

Put both bannetons in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.

An hour before baking, load a baking steel or stone into the oven and add a Dutch oven on top. Heat the oven to 260 degrees Celsius/500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dust the dough with rice flour, flip it onto a peel, and score the dough using a lame. Place the dough into the Dutch oven and put the lid on top.

Bake for 20 minutes, then take off the lid and lower the temperature to 230 degrees Celsius/450 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens