Vermont Sourdough with 30% Rye

I want a sourdough bread that’s rugged and pairs well with rich toppings like cured salmon, smoked cheese or hummus. Perhaps a take on the Nordic rugbrod in our everyday bread — that’s suitable for breakfast, snacks, lunch or all of the above. With that in mind, I use 30% whole-rye flour instead of whole-wheat in the basic sourdough bread I posted recently. I’ll call it Vermont sourdough with 30% rye, adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman’s Vermont sourdough with increased whole grain bread in Bread.

The amount of pre-fermented flour is 20%. Combining the increased proportion of ripe culture in the levain with a higher percentage of whole-rye flour, the bread takes on a darker color and a sharper tang. The nutty sweetness of rye comes through brilliantly.

From the working perspective, the higher acidity in the levain and considerable fermentable sugars from the rye flour have a tightening effect on the gluten structure. As a result, you can feel the reduced extensibility of the dough. Therefore, one fold is all you need during bulk fermentation. A second fold might bring too much strength to the dough. Meanwhile, the loaf volume is unlikely to be as great as the basic sourdough bread (with 30% whole-wheat flour).

Surprisingly, I spot plenty of the smiley big holes in the crumb. I am using a new bag of King Arthur Flour’s bread flour and love the results I see in this bread. Judging from the results, there seems to be room to add more rye flour if you like its flavor and texture. My next project!