The Fresh Loaf

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Rogers basic rye bread

daysi's picture
daysi

Rogers basic rye bread

Hello all!!

Has anybody ever tried to make the recipe at the back of the package of Rogers Rye flour??

Well, I am making it right now, it's on its first rise. As always there is something wrong with my dough, it was very very super wet, the recipe calls for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups of white flour in addition to the 3 cups of rye flour. Although the recipe does not call for sifting the flour prior to measuring, I did it, (for the first time, I took the time to sift the flours). By the way I used 3 1/2.

I have no idea if the pre-sifting has anything to do with this disaster, but after mixing all the ingredients I was ready to start kneading, and as I said the dough was waaaay too wet, it was all stuck to my hands and to the table, there was no way I was able to form a ball, after kneading for 5 min I decided to add more WF, I ended up using about 2 cups more and still the dough was super sticky I had to lift it with the scraper 'cause it would not leave my hands and the board, Anyway I put it to rest I don't know what the final product is going to be like, so in the mean time why is this happening to me I mean why is the dough so so so wet?

did this happen to any of you as well.

Thanks

Comments

nicodvb's picture
nicodvb

when rye is present in large amounts it renders the dough very sticky and sloppy. You had better treat the dough like a cake and acceopt that it will never be elastic and dry like a regular dough.

Wet your hands with water and knead in the air.

Last time I made a bread with half rye and half white flour I was stupid enough to make the dough quite dry; when I cooked it the bread came out dry and compact. Better add more water to make rye happy.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

I just love the stuff!  Work close or over the sink with the water lightly running to wet your hands whenever the dough starts to really stick to you.  It's more like squishing than kneading.  And you don't have to knead it much.   Tell us more about the recipe!

Mini

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Hi daysi,

How much water did you use in this recipe? I suspect you are just having a case of newbe rye jitters. Rye breads of 50% or more of which yours falls right in the middle, are different in the way they feel. Rye doesn't have much gluten and feels much more sticky than wheat. Fortunately it doesn't need much kneading. You will need a plastic bench scraper with a curved edge on one side so you can fold the dough in the bowl or on the counter. I have found using a scraper to be much easier than using your hands to mix and develop.

Chasing the dough with greater amounts of wheat flour is frustrating. By the time your dough feels like a bread flour dough, you've wrecked it. Stick with the formula and use the scraper to mix and fold. After initial mixing, cover and rest for an hour and fold with the scraper. Pull the dough over on itself from the edge while you rotate the bowl. Do this 8-12 times. You should start to feel some structure building. follow the recipe for timing of the ferment. You can just pour the dough into a greased bread pan and allow to rise for 45 minutes, covered. Bake as per instructions or until a quick read thermometer reads 195F. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

Eric

jennyloh's picture
jennyloh

I just did a 60% rye bread, had the same experience as you,  sticky and all, with bare hands.  Good thing that I was prepared for it - referring to all the discussions about handling rye here. 

Had a glass of water beside me,  and oil on my table top.  It makes the dough manageable without sticking much to the hand and table (in fact, hardly). Be patient and gentle,  let the dough rest, every 10 minutes before kneading in the bowl with a stretch and fold.  I actually use a wooden spoon at the beginning,  dipped with water (not too much water,  enough that the dough doesn't stick to the spoon),  after the 3rd S&F in bold, I was able to handle with my hands when I got the structure on the dough to give it one more S&F.  As what mini said, it's more like squishing the dough than the usual kneading.

Good luck....

daysi's picture
daysi

I am glad I am not the only one, and most of all it's normal for rye to behave that way. I have to say I was quite "afraid" to add too much flour (it's happened before) and end up with a dense bread. So approximately 2 cup wasn't too bad. At the beginning as much as I squished it, it would not become like regular dough malleable, but after about 45 min or so, I folded it in the bowl and I noticed that it had settle, it wasn't as wet, and it felt a bit dense. anyway afraid and all I let it rest for the remaining 30 min or so. After this time I turn it onto the table and didn't knead again just flatten it up a bit cut it in two halves and roll it up, I put the dough in two pans and let it rest for about 8 hours, (I started making this dough at 1am so I could not wait another hour), Now here is the thing the recipe called for 1 TBS of yeast, it sounds like a lot to me, so I thought that after 8 hours I would end up with a very yeasty flavoured bread, to my surprise the bread tasted like bread well I should say regular bread, not like beer (again, it has happed to me before). One thing only the taste was not like other rye breads I have eaten it was more like WW bread, maybe 'cause I didn't have caraway seeds around so I didn't put any. Anyway this recipe really surprised me, the end product was deliciously soft crumb, and a crust not hard not soft just like I wanted it.

Here are a few pics.... enjoy them while I enjoy my rye bread yam!

after about 8 hours

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Just a thought, any reason 8 hours?

"I put the dough in two pans and let it rest for about 8 hours,…"

I'm wondering if 8 hours was too long, with 6 hours, you might get more oven spring.  I went looking on the Roger's site for the recipe but couldn't find it. 

Mini

daysi's picture
daysi

As I mentioned I started making this recipe at 1 am, after the first rise (which was a bit over 1 hour) I was already tired, I went to bed at around 3am or so.thats why I left them out for that long of time, now that I realize they rested for 6 to 7 hours. the only reason as I said was 'cause it was way too late and I was very tired as to stay awake for two more hour.

No special reason...

rhomp2002's picture
rhomp2002

http://rdcrossroads.wordpress.com/extras/rye-bread-recipe/

 

I looked on the Rogers website but couldn;t find a recipe.  This one specifically mentioned using the Rogers Rye Flour and also had the 2.5 - 3.5 measure of white flour.  Just a guess but it seems to fit the description.

daysi's picture
daysi

And just a coment, I sifted the flours in my first attempt to make this recipe and as I shared before, the dough was very very wet, I am baking this same recipe right now and this time I didnt sift the flours, and what a huge difference, the dough had so much more texture, its wasnt as wet as the first time. I hope the crumb comes like it did the first time. I'll be posting pictures later, now I am out to work.