Sourdough Bread

Rye Sourdough
30g (1.1oz) | Rye whole grain flour |
40g (1.4oz) | Water |
5g (0.2oz) | Sourdough starter (reserved sourdough from a previous batch or fridge) |
Autolysis
300g (10.6oz) | Wheat flour „Bread“ |
200g (7.1oz) | Water |
Main Dough
Rye sourdough | |
Autolysis dough | |
150g (5.3oz) | Rye whole grain flour or rye light flour |
60g (2.1oz) | Water |
1.5 Teaspoon | Dry yeast |
10g (0.4oz) | Honey |
10g (0.4oz) | Salt |
5g (0.2oz) | Butter (soft) |
Overview
Sourdough | Combine rye sourdough ingredients, incubate 18 hours at room temperature (22-24°C / 71-75°F) |
Autolysis | Combine autolysis ingredients, incubate 30 minutes |
Kneading | slow for 8 minutes, fast for 2 minutes (light sticky, medium-strength); for hand kneading 3 times longer |
Bulk Fermentation | 1 hour (24°C / 75°F) |
Shaping | Long, oval |
Final Fermentation | 45min – 1h (24°C / 75°F) |
Scoring | 2 cuts at an acute angle![]() |
Baking | 45 minutes, 250°C (470°F) degreasing to 220°C (420°F), with steam, seam side down |
Preparation and Baking
Combine the sourdough ingredients in a small bowl and mix them with a table spoon. Cover the bowl with cling foil or a plate and incubate the sourdough for 16h at room temperature (22-24°C / 71-75°F).
For the autolysis, mix the wheat flour with the water in a big bowl (kneading machine bowl) and allow it to rest for 30 min (covered). This step is very important, because the development of the gluten skeleton starts.
Add the sourdough and all other ingredients to the autolysis dough and knead the dough for 8 min at the lowest step and 2 min at the second step of your kneading machine. If you are kneading by hand, the time increases around factor 3. The ready dough is light sticky and middle-strength.
Cover the bowl with a plate or cling foil and incubate for 1 hour at 24°C (75°F). (bulk fermentation)
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Dough before bulk fermentation | Dough after bulk fermentation. The dough have risen significantly. |
Following bulk fermentation knead the dough short on a floured surface to exhale the fermentation gases.
Shape the dough in a ball first and form a long moulding loaf (see video tutorial).
Place the loaf seam side up in a well-floured proofing basket, cover loosely with a tea towel so air does not dry the skin of the dough
and let it rest for 45 minutes (24°C / 75°F; final fermentation).
Preheat the oven to 250°C (470°F).
When ready to bake, turn over the loaf to a baking tray covered with parchment paper or on a semolina-dusted baker’s peel if using a baking stone.
Now the loaf is right side up and the seams is on the bottom.
Score the loaf with a sharp blade like a scalpel or razor blade, slash quickly and confidently (see picture).
Slide the baking tray with the loaf in the oven and fill the oven with steam.
After 10 minutes lower the oven temperature to 220°C (420°F) and open the oven door for a few seconds to let the steam escape.
Bake for another 30 minutes until the crust is nicely brown.
Let the bread cool uncovered on a cooling rack grid.