Submitted by JC1957 on July 25, 2011 - 8:35pm

Sponge Dark Sour Rye

Yesterday I was researching various rye bread formulas and techniques trying to come up with something I could make with what I have on hand (dark rye flour and from a sour dough culture). I was thinking of a Jewish or a German Rye. The Bread Baker's Apprentice was a little help but still didn't have a formula to go on. Several years ago a friend (he was the head baker in the first bakery I use to work at) gave me his formulas, study guides and notes from when he attended Dunwoody Institute back in the early 1960's. I pulled those formulas out and found one for a Sponge Dark Sour Rye.  Here are the results.  2 of the 3-1 1/2 # loaves.  Baked 2 tonight and will bake the 3rd in the morning.

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Good Looking Loaves

Very nice work on your rye loaves. Can you give us a little info on the formula you used?

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Classic deli rye bread

Classic deli rye bread, they look perfect! Any chance you could share the formula with us....please?

Franko

Beautiful! Syd

Beautiful!

Syd

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Lovely loaves

Very nice job.  I too would be interested in the formula.  Thanks.

Howard

Fantastic

really well done!

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Hmmm-Delicious!

Great looking Rye.

Eric

Working on formula.

Thanks everyone for the comments.  I'm working on the formula and procedure now.  I'll post that and crumb pictures as soon as possible.

I didn't get the chance to taste until this morning and it was excellent toasted with butter.

The 3rd loaf got refrigerated overninght and is in the oven now.  I wanted to see what the extra time in the fridge would do to effect the flavor and crumb.

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Thanks so much for posting the formula

I will definitely give this formula a try in the next week or so.  I really like rye bread, and this bread looks great for sandwiches.

Best to you in your baking endeavors,

Howard

Formula and Pictures

Here is the formula.  It's been copy from Excel.  I break the formula down to a 1 oz batch from the originaland then set the final weight that I need to come up with the final formula. The Actual Column is this batch exactly.

Sponge Dark Sour Rye    
  ORIGINAL            
  FORMULA   Variable Variable      
Ingrediant Amt/oz 1 OZ Batch Batch ROUNDED Cost/lb ACTUAL  
Sponge   410.000 0.303 26.7 26.6 $0.385 26.5  
Dark Rye
  Flour
128.000 0.095 8.3 8.3 $0.074 8.3  
First Clear
  Flour
568.000 0.420 37.0 37.0 $0.126 37.0  
Water
  (Variable)
224.0000 0.166 14.6 14.6 $0.000 14.6  
Salt 16.0000 0.012 1.0 1.0 $0.003 1.0  
Ground
  Caraway Seeds
5.0 0.004 0.3 0.3 $0.022 0.3  
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
TOTAL 1351.0 1.000 88 87.8 $0.611 87.7  
      Batch Cost Batch Cost COST/OZ    
      $3.358 $3.350 0.04    
               
  1# LOAF SUB ROLLS SUB ROLLS        
WEIGHT 22 80 1.5        
YEILD 1 18 59        
WEIGHT/ROLL/LOAF 22.0 4.4          
COST/ROLL/LOAF $0.84 $0.17 $0.057        
               
               
               
               
               
Step 1 - Preparatory Sour    
  ORIGINAL            
  FORMULA   Variable Variable      
Ingrediant Amt/oz 1 OZ Batch Batch ROUNDED Cost/lb ACTUAL  
Sour Dough 20.000 0.294 1.3 1.3 $0.032 9.2 ACTIVE ITALIAN SOUR CULTURE
Water 32.000 0.471 2.1 2.1 $0.000 3.5 7/8 CUP
Dark Rye
  Flour
16.000 0.235 1.0 1.0 $0.184 3.5 1 CUP
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
TOTAL 68.0 1.000 4.43 4.4 $0.216 16.2 MIX AND LET SET OVERNIGHT
      4.4        
               
Step 2 - Sponge    
  ORIGINAL            
  FORMULA   Variable Variable      
Ingrediant Amt/oz 1 OZ Batch Batch ROUNDED Cost/lb ACTUAL  
Preparatory Sour 48.000 0.117 3.1 3.1 $0.15 8.0  
Dark Rye
  Flour
120.000 0.294 7.8 7.8 $0.229 5.3  
Water 240.000 0.587 15.7 15.7 $0.001 13.2  
Yeast(INSTANT) 0.6670 0.002 0.044 0.00 $0.003 0.00 Used extra sour and eliminated yeast.
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
    0.000 0.0 0.0 $0.000    
TOTAL 408.7 1.000 26.7 26.6 $0.385 26.5 Mix with paddle, cover and let rise on the counter for 3 - 4
  hours.

Procedure: 

Grind caraway in coffee grinder till there is some powder and the rest broken pieces.

Mix all ingredients with dough hook for 3 minutes and then let rest for 20 minutes. 
Continue mixing for 5 minutes or knead on counter for 5-7 minutes.

Let rise in oiled bowl for 1 1/2 hours covered.

Divided into 3 - 1# 12+ oz pieces

Round and let rest on counter (covered w/plastic wrap) for 30 minutes

Form into Batards or Rounds.

Place on the peel with corn meal or parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise for 3 hours till double in size.

At 1.5 hours before baking, set oven up with baking stone or bricks and temperature to 425F

Just prior to baking, egg wash and sprinkle whole caraway seeds &/or Kosher Salt on the surface.

Score across loaves 5-7 times.

Peel into oven and pour hot water into heated pan in oven and a little on the bottom of the oven to steam.

Steam again in 2-3 minutes.

Turn loaves at about 20 minutes.

Bake for 25 -35 minutes total.

In the next picture, the loaf on the left is the one refrigerated overnight and then proofed and baked this morning.

flour bugs

Here is something you might try to keep bugs out of flour.  Put dried bay leaves into the flour container.  I use this method for some spices as well as posta.  It seems to work.

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Thanks for sharing

Hello JC1957,
Thanks for posting the formula for these lovely loaves.
Your bread looks picture-perfect to me!
:^) from breadsong

Thank you

Thanks for the compliments.  I should note that I used High Gluten flour (All Trumps) instead on First Clear.  I'm having trouble finding First Clear flour locally.  Even the wholesale bakery companies like Dawn Foods aren't carrying it anymore.  King Arthur has it, but at a premium price.  If anyone has a good source, please let me know.

First clear flour in KC

I haven't found any first clear in the KC area either. Google searches have been pointless as well. You might try comparing prices at NYBakers.com, run by Elagins who frequently posts here on TFL. As of this morning, BayState Milling first clear flour flour was available for $6.95/ 5 lbs. The site occasionally has special pricing in the form of sales or discounts. Everybody on TFL that has done business there speaks highly of the service and goods.

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