The Fresh Loaf

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Please critique this Reinhart rye loaf

photojess's picture
photojess

Please critique this Reinhart rye loaf

I made this yesterday, but had company, and couldn't post till today.  This is a Transitional Hearth Rye Seigle (greater than 50% Rye) recipe out of his whole grain book page 181.  How does this look to you?  The starter ingredients were to sit from 4-6 hours, and poss up to 8.  I let it go 6 1/2, just to be sure it rose enough.  It was hard to tell, sitting in a large bowl.  After the remainder ingredients were added, it acted just as the recipe indicated, and became a beautiful dough to work with, and looked very nice during the rising time.

I'm afraid without a couche, it spread a little too much laterally.  I also made them into two batards instead of one large one, reducing the baking time in half.  Internal temp reached 200 deg in 20 minutes

The final taste was terrific, and tastes even better tonight, as I just had two slices.  Honestly, I'm happy with this, but wonder if there are any other recommendations I should follow?

xaipete's picture
xaipete

Looks good to me, Photojess. You've done a great job. --Pamela

photojess's picture
photojess

anyone else get theirs to rise higher?  I see plenty of short loaves on here, but I never know when one is supposed to, or is to be expected, vs something I did wrong.

Thanks for all of the help you gave me with the rye flour and the baker's math/starter.  You had your hand in this too!

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Hi, Photojess.

Your rye looks good. As you observed, it did spread out a bit. You mentioned you didn't have a couche.

Did you know you can make a couche using parchment paper? Just put the loaf on a sheet of parchment with 2-3 inches of margin on each side. Prop up the two long sides with something to support the loaf. I use rolled up kitchen towels. Cover the loaf with plasti-crap or a floured kitchen towel. Let it proof. Remove the towels. Slip the loaf on the parchment onto a peel or the back of a sheet pan or a cookie sheet, and transfer it to the oven. 

You can also get a more rounded cross section by scoring the loaf with a "sausage cut" or "herring bone cut." This encourages upward expansion rather than lateral expansion during oven spring.  (See the scoring tutorial in the TFL Handbook.)

Sausage Cut (on left) & Chevron or Herring Bone Cut (on right)

Hope this helps.

David

photojess's picture
photojess

that I pulled up between them, but did not offer support on the other sides.  I'll have to remember to use some towels to keep them in place.  thanks for the suggestion!

ehanner's picture
ehanner

They look good to me but I think you are going to find they are a little moist in the crumb in a day or two. In my own experience with rye breads, it is easy to pull them to early. I find I have to lower the temp and let the bake take a little longer. You are not going to ruin it and the crumb will last longer before staling if it's drier. The rye holds moisture better than wheat both when mixing and when baking.

Eric

photojess's picture
photojess

I was a little worried that I had gone too long.  When I flipped one of them over to check the temp, it was darker than I expected on the bottom, but not burned.  My stone is a well used Pampered Chef one, and I guess, made them fairly brown.

I am quite surprised how the taste was so much better than other ryes I have made, that don't use a soaker.  I can see now, how that does improve taste, since the majority of the rye flour was in it.  It won't last much longer than today, as we have eaten most of it already, but I'll try to take note of the moisture content today.

The recipe didn't say anything about scoring the loaves, and I wondered if I should have.

photojess's picture
photojess

was just going to comment again on the lack of excessive moisture.  The loaf is almost gone now, but I wonder if it's the ziplock bag it's in, and exposure to the air in the bag, but it hasn't become too moist fortunately. 

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Do I remember that you only baked this for 20 minutes? For a rye that would be pretty short unless it was a very hot oven. I'm getting confused.

Eric

photojess's picture
photojess

if I remember correctly, because at 20 minutes the breads were to be turned 180 degrees, which I did, and the temp was at just under 200 degrees, so I left them in the oven for no more than another 5 minutes, which then they registered at 200.

They were thoroughly done, no moist spots anywhere, and they probably cooled for about 45 minutes before we had part of one for dinner that night.

Temp started out for preheat at 475 deg., then down to 425 when the bread went in, and my stone was preheated too.

I'm really happy with this bread.  Love the taste of it, and will def make it again, keeping in mind to support the sides while rising.