Food · Recipe
Multi-Acid 100% Dark Rye Bread
A dense, sturdy Vollkornbrot-style loaf made from 100% dark rye. Instead of a sourdough starter it uses a mix of acids (lactic from yogurt whey, citric, and acetic from barley malt vinegar) to shut down the amylase enzymes that turn rye crumb gummy, with instant yeast doing the rising. It gets the tang of a German sourdough rye with none of the starter maintenance, and it turned out really well.
Ingredients
Seed soaker
- 50g sunflower seeds
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 20g chia seeds
- 20g organic flaxseed powder
- 100g boiling water
Dry mix
- 500g dark rye flour
- 30g pea protein powder (an extra moisture buffer)
- 10g instant dry yeast (more than usual, to power through the acidic dough)
- 10g fine sea salt
- 4g citric acid (about 1 tsp)
Wet mix
- 400g yogurt whey, warmed slightly
- 40g molasses (about 2 tbsp)
- 20g barley malt vinegar (about 1.5 tbsp)
Method
- Make the soaker: combine the seeds and flaxseed powder in a small bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir well. Leave until it forms a gel and cools completely.
- Grease a loaf tin generously with butter or oil and dust it thoroughly with rye flour or seeds.
- Whisk the rye flour, pea protein, yeast, salt and citric acid together in a large bowl until uniform.
- In a separate container, whisk the molasses and malt vinegar into the warmed whey until dissolved.
- Pour the wet mix and the cooled soaker into the dry ingredients. Mix vigorously with a wet scraper or sturdy spoon until there are no dry pockets. It makes a heavy, sticky paste; don’t knead it.
- Scoop the paste into the tin. With wet hands, press it down firmly to remove air pockets, then smooth the top flat with wet fingers.
- Cover loosely and leave somewhere warm for 45 to 90 minutes. It should rise by less than 50%. It’s ready when the surface is slightly domed with tiny pinholes and fine cracks. Don’t over-proof it or the structure will collapse.
- Heat the oven to 240°C. Optionally add steam for the first 10 minutes.
- Bake at 240°C for 10 to 15 minutes. This sets the crust and deactivates the amylase.
- Lower the oven to 200°C and bake for another 35 to 40 minutes.
- Tip the loaf out of the tin and bake it directly on the oven rack for a final 10 to 15 minutes to firm up the sides and bottom. The centre should reach at least 98°C on a meat thermometer.
- Cool completely, then wrap tightly in a clean tea towel or paper bag and leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours before slicing. This isn’t optional: the moisture redistributes and the starches set, which stops the crumb being gummy.
