Today's Bread (2019-2022)

[flyinglentris]

I am soon to begin work on my first German Dark Rye Bread variant. I have all the ingredients I need and have done enough research to evolve a good recipe of my own.

 

[MypinchofItaly]

This is a really lovely looking bread. Your Dad is a star...

Yep, and he still makes bread sometimes, I’ve learnt and keep learning a lot from him. He is my apulian wikipedia

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

Same recipe as the last breads, but I found it a very little bit to salty. Stay healthy

 

[TastyReuben]

Buttermilk-Sorghum Sandwich Bread:

That's another big loaf, nearly seven cups of flour, so two of those pieces will get frozen for later.

 

[JAS_OH1]

My bread I made last night came out perfect!

 

[flyinglentris]

German dark rye bread was my first try since I did the Robagusti bread.

It did not turn out the way I wanted and I feel I made certain mistakes.

First, I tried to control the best temperature for the yeast, using my NuWave Oven and dried out the top, making it open to burning during baking. The top would later crack during the second rise.

Second, I got excited when the dough started rising very fast and I thought it would overflow the dish. I punched it down and it continued to rise very quickly.

Third, the 400F temperature which I found researching German Rye Bread making, burned the top of the bread and I lowered to 325F. I got antsy again and didn't bake for the full 30 minutes, just 25. The inside of the bread would later prove to be still doughy.

Fourth, something seems to be wrong with my proportions of ingredients and the bread turned out to be dry and crumbly.

BTW: The bread was incredibly good tasting. And although it didn't live up to my expectations, I am not tossing it, but will use it up, consuming it.

I am posting the recipe and photos here, not marked as recipe, for critique only.

Ingredients:

1) Dark rye flour - 2-1/2 cups
2) Unbleached Bread or All Purpose Flour - 1-1/2 Cup

NOTE: Active Dry Yeast will have a hard time in purely rye flour as it is grainy and difficult for the yeast to digest and ferment. It is vitally important to add a reasonable amount of unbleached flour.

3) Rye berries - 4 tblspns.
4) Cocoa powder (or alternatively, carob powder) - 2 tblspns.
5) Molasses - 1/8 cup or as required
6) Malt Syrup - 1/8 cup
7) Butter - 1 tblspn.

NOTE: Butter should be softened before beginning the procedure.

8) Brown sugar - 1/2 tblspn.
9) Active dry yeast - 1/4 Oz.
10) Caraway Seed - 2 tblspn.
11) Vegetable oil - as required

NOTE: Mix some of the oil with 2 tblspns. malt syrup to coat the bread before baking.

12) Water - 1 cup


Procedure:

1) Soften the rye berries by heating in shallow water.
2) In a large mixing bowl combine flour and cocoa.
3) Heat 1 cup water to 115F.
4) Mix in about 1/2 of the mixed flour with brown sugar and yeast.
5) Blend 1 minute at a low speed.
6) Stir in molasses, malt syrup, butter and vegetable oil and mix well.
7) Blend at high speed for 3 minutes.
8) Add rye berries, caraway seeds and remaining dry ingredients.

NOTE: Set aside half of the softened rye berries and caraway seed to press onto the surface of the formed dough, before baking.

9) Mix to create a soft dough.

NOTE: The dough should be soft, but may be slightly sticky. Have a wash cloth and a bowl of water handy to wash the hands and any utensils, as needed.

10) On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough as necessary.
11) Cover the dough and let set for about 1 hour.

NOTE: Cover the dough to help maintain the 110 to 115F temperature at which active dry yeast flourishes and causes the dough to rise.

NOTE: If the yeast is doing its job, a yeasty aroma will fill the air. If that aroma is not there, the yeast may not be active.

NOTE: This is termed the first rise of the dough.

12) Punch down the dough.

NOTE: Punching down dough is simply forming a fist and gently pressing down the middle of the dough after its first rise. This is done to release trapped air so that the finished bread will not have large open air pockets.

13) Shape the dough into an oval, round or other desired shape.

NOTE: If you make enough dough for two loaves, divide the dough and form two loaves. The amounts in the above ingredients when doubled, will make one sizable round loaf. Double the dough to make two oval loafs.

14) Mix two table spoons malt syrup with oil and brush over the surface of the dough.
15) Sprinkle half of the rye berries and caraway seeds on top of the coated dough and pat them on.

16) Slash the top of the dough, lengthwise and slanted, with a knife.
17) Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes to 1 hour more.

NOTE: Again, cover the dough to help maintain the temperature at which active dry yeast will flourish.

NOTE: This is termed the second rise and should double the size of the each dough loaf.

18) Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
19) Place dough loaf on a oil slicked baking sheet or dish.
20) Bake for approximately 1/2 hour on lower rack.

NOTE: Visually check to ensure that crust is not burned.

21) Remove from the oven and transfer to a metal rack to cool.
22) Slice with a bread knife to serve and use.

 

[TastyReuben]

Made a rye mini-loaf today, a scant 1-1/2 cups of flour used. I've already eaten a third of it :

 

[JAS_OH1]

Made a rye mini-loaf today, a scant 1-1/2 cups of flour used. I've already eaten a third of it :

View attachment 57545

Do you use caraway seeds in your rye?

 

[TastyReuben]

Do you use caraway seeds in your rye?

Yes. MrsT likes the flavor, but doesn't like actual seeds, so I grind them up. I got a little lazy with this loaf, though, so they're about half-ground.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Yes. MrsT likes the flavor, but doesn't like actual seeds, so I grind them up. I got a little lazy with this loaf, though, so they're about half-ground.

At least it wasn't half baked

 

[flyinglentris]

There was no trip to the store for bread rolls this time....

Home baked hoagie rolls were the ticket.

They turned out well and are a lesson learned at a simple level, toward and understanding of more complicated bread baking.

 

[JAS_OH1]

There was no trip to the store for bread rolls this time....

Home baked hoagie rolls were the ticket.

View attachment 57685

They turned out well and are a lesson learned at a simple level, toward and understanding of more complicated bread baking.

Those are lovely! I would eat those warm with some butter and nothing else, but yeah, would be great for sandwiches too, I can tell.

 

[flyinglentris]

Those are lovely! I would eat those warm with some butter and nothing else, but yeah, would be great for sandwiches too, I can tell.

I'll being using two of them today for bratwurst sandwiches.

 

[PabloLerntKochen]

This time I added some olive oil, like my chef suggested it and I like it. Easy to cut, not the fluffiest, a good amount of salt. Stay healthy

 

[TastyReuben]

This time I added some olive oil, like my chef suggested it and I like it. Easy to cut, not the fluffiest, a good amount of salt. Stay healthy
View attachment 57784

That looks really good. I like that open, holey interior.