| This is a recipe for Betty's favorite sour rye, nearly capable of
converting a self-disciplined moderate into a glutton. I found the
directions in the Boston Globe in May 1978, probably in Wednesday's
food section. I then made it frequently as a treat for my wife;
recently I have started to make it again.
Lacking the original instructions, I have written the recipe below
in two parts --- exactly and somewhat cryptically as I had recorded
it in the cover of a bread book and then some comments for those not
used to baking with sourdough.
Starter ---> Sponge ---> Dough ---> Bake
Starter:
1 tsp yeast
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup rye flour
80 degrees for 2 days
Sponge:
2 tbs yeast
1 cup water
2 cups rye flour
starter
three hours or more
Dough:
5 cups white flour
2 tbs caraway seeds
2 tsp salt
1 +/- cup water
sponge
stiff dough
Bake:
425 for 10 minutes with a pan of water below it
400 for 25 minutes without water
butter the crust while the bread cools
Starter:
The laconic instructions above don't produce the best bread the first
time --- the starter should be rather mature, not fresh. And make
twice the quantity indicated so you can use half, replenish half
immediately, and have half as a culture to kick off the replenishment.
The usual starter precautions: glass or plastic container only 1/3
full, not quite covered, refrigerated after the replenishments have
soured, replenished even if you haven't baked lately, else frozen.
Sponge:
Overnight in a warm place in a large bowl
Dough:
Make it stiff enough not to flatten after shaping. Slow to rise.
Protect from drying; my last batch had a Kelvar crust.
Bread:
Delicious and aromatic. Very, very dense. Addictive.
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| I just tried this rye bread this weekend - it's very good!
Buttermilk Rye Whole Wheat Bread
1 cup rye flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 package dry yeast
1 T wheat germ
1 T caraway seeds
2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
3 T molasses
2 T vegetable oil or other shortening
1 cup bread or all-purpose flour
In a large mixing bowl combine the rye and whole-wheat flours, yeast, wheat
germ, caraway, and salt. Mix well. In a saucepan heat the buttermilk,
molasses, and oil or shortening until hot (120-130 degrees). Pour into the
flour mixture. Blend by hand with 100 strong strokes of a wooden spoon, or 3
minutes at medium speed in the mixer with a flat beater.
Gradually stir in the white flour to make a firm but not stiff dough.
Place the dough on a floured work surface, or keep in the mixer bowl under the
dough hook, and knead for 8 minutes. If the dough continues to be sticky, add
sprinkles of white flour - but better too little flour than too much. Don't
make a cannonball.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and leave
until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll or pat the dough into a 14 x 7-inch
rectangle. Starting with the short side, roll up tightly, pressing the dough
into a roll with each turn. Pinch the edges and ends to seal. Place in
a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. [I used an 8x4 because the quantity of dough
seemed too small for a 9x5] Or else shape the dough into a ball and press
slightly to make a rounded loaf. Place on a greased baking sheet.
Loosely cover the pan with a length of wax paper or plastic wrap and let rise
until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees about 20 minutes before baking.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the loaf is a
rich, dark brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Remove the bread from the pan or sheet and leave to cool on a metal rack before
serving.
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