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Hansjoakim's Pain au Levain with Rye Sour

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Hansjoakim's Pain au Levain with Rye Sour

Hansjoakim's Pain au Levain with Rye Sour

June 3, 2016

Hansjoakim contributed this formula to TFL a bit more than two years ago. (Sourdough bread and fyrstekake) It was added to my “to bake list” right away. Well, I am finally getting around to baking it, since I had extra ripe rye sour looking for a meaningful role, and I was in the mood to try something new.

I have baked breads which had both rye- and wheat-flour based starters, but I had not yet baked a mostly wheat flour-based bread leavened by a rye sour alone. It's about time!

I have used Hansjoakim's formula without modification. However, I have rounded his ingredient weights to the nearest gram, reflecting the limitations of my kitchen scale. The procedures described are what I did. Hansjoakim's procedures may have differed somewhat.

 

Total Dough

 

 

Ingredient

Wt. (g)

Bakers' %

AP Flour (11.7% protein)

350

80

Whole Rye flour

55

12.5

Whole Wheat flour

33

7.5

Water

306

70

Salt

8

1.8

Total

752

171.8

  

Rye Sour

 

 

Ingredient

Wt. (g)

Bakers' %

Whole Rye flour

55

100

Water

55

100

Ripe rye sour

11

20

Total

121

220

  1. Dissolve the ripe rye sour in the water.

  2. Add the whole rye flour and mix to a paste.

  3. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.

  

Final Dough

 

Ingredient

Wt. (g)

AP flour

350

Whole wheat flour

33

Water

251

Salt

8

Rye sour

110

Total

752

Procedure

  1. Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer, and add the rye sour. Mix at Speed1 for a minute to disburse the sour.

  2. Add the flours. Mix at Speed one to a shaggy mass. Cover and let rest for 30-60 minutes.

  3. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, and mix with the dough hook for 2-4 minutes at Speed 2.

  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover.

  5. Ferment for 2-2.5 hours with one stretch and fold after 1 hour.

  6. Transfer to a lightly floured board and pre-shape as a ball. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

  7. Shape as boule or bâtard and place in a floured banneton or brotform. Alternatively, place on a linen couche.

  8. Cover the loaf well (place banneton in a food safe plastic bag, or with a fold of the couche material).

  9. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.

  10. Take the loaf out of the refrigerator. Proof at 80ºF for 1-2 hours.

  11. Pre-heat the oven for 45-60 minutes at 500ºF with a baking stone and steaming apparatus in place.

  12. Transfer the loaf to a peel. Steam the oven, and transfer the loaf to the baking stone. Turn the oven temperature down to 460ºF.

  13. After 15 minutes, remove the steaming apparatus. If you have a convection option, switch to convection bake at 435ºF. Otherwise, leave the oven at 460ºF.

  14. Bake for another 25-35 minutes. The loaf is done when it is nicely colored, it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom and the internal temperature is at least 205ºF.

  15. Transfer to a cooling rack, and cool thoroughly before slicing.

 

Photo Gallery

 

Tasting Notes

The crust was crunchy with a nice nutty flavor. The crumb was quite open – well-aerated. It was surprisingly chewy, given how little machine mixing I did and only one stretch and fold. The flavor was very similar to Hamelman's Pain au Levain with Whole Wheat Flour but more sour. I suppose this is the result of using the rye sour for leavening. This makes me want to try using a rye sour with some other flour mixes and other fermentation approaches. Stay tuned!

I expect there will be some evolution of the flavor profile. I have tasted it just a few hours after it came out of the oven. But based on this first taste, it is most definitely a keeper! I recommend it highly.

Happy baking!

 David

Comments

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I was looking for something to make tomorrow with my rye sour. This is just the ticket. The search engine  on TFL is so poor that if I have missed bookmarking something in the past years then it is essentially gone forever ! Anyway...I will be making this tomorrow. I use my rye sour for almost everything as I rarely change it to anything else these days. Your loaves are always SO pleasurable to view. c

Oh to use your rye sour I suggest the King Arthur waffle recipe. Oh my...it is the one where you put buttermilk and your starter  together the night before...it is SO incredible...I make extra just so I can have waffles with rye :)  c

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/classic-sourdough-waffles-or-pancakes-recipe

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I really like this bread, but I wonder if one with French preferences (as I understand them) would find it too sour. Hmmm .... Another bake to try: Baking without the overnight retardation. I bet it would be tasty but less sour.

The KAF waffle recipe is in the same stack of printouts where Hansjoakim's PAL sat for two years. The "problem" is that we are already very fond of a different waffle recipe which is also on the KAF web site. For pancakes, I use a recipe I believe was AnnieT's. My wife is not fond of pancakes except Swedish pancakes.

David

 

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

even when it doesn't ask for it in a formula. We like a less sour loaf so it works out as far as taste and timing. 

You are on to something with the " instant" printout...should have thought of that years ago rather than thinking I would come back or remember. I have way too few bookmarks as a lot of the time I am not logged in. Oh well. If and when the TFL allows one to see every single post on a particular posters link , the right side only lists a few recents, it will make it so great to see everything without seeing the whole post which is interminable to scroll through. I think I am in a mood !  c

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I seldom use TFL bookmarks. I do keep a blog page with links to my own favorites. It's public. I have four loose leaf binders with printouts of recipes for bread and pastries I expect to bake again. I have an unfiled stack of printouts for things I want to try.  I can "forget" about a recipe I want to try for years then encounter the printout when I'm in a perfect mood for it. That's more or less how I came to bake this bread today.

To you find retarded breads less sour? I've always thought the opposite.

David

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I have SO many folders and old photo albums and yellow tablets...the list goes on LOL ! I won't live long enough to make all the bread let alone all the other recipes I have. Oh well...I am going to use this formula today. I got caught up making some other things yesterday with my starter and had to make more. Stay tuned if I can figure out the pics issue I may post. 

I don't find the retarded breads more sour as I usually sneak in some YW and that stops the sour and prolongs the tender crumb...blasphemy I guess !!  If I didn't sneak it in then yes you are right the long cold retard is more sour. c

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

What a wonderful bread !  I did put in a bit of yeast water but probably didn't need it.  Fantastic rise and oh my the fragrance from the crust. Lovely crumb.  And quite sour inspite of the YW :) Very pleased. Will definitely make this again. I baked it in my cast iron pot. Preheated at 500 for 45 min. Lid on 15 min...forgot  to lower the temp ...oh no...took off lid and set timer for 25 more minutes...at 23 I checked and went ...dang....pulled it out....so glad I had such a bold bake. Truly a good mistake. Thank you for posting. c

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Thanks for letting us know how your bake turned out.

David

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

has to be tasty as all get out.  One great bread baked by a real craftsman/

Well done and happy baking David

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Tasty it is!

David

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Great bake David.  One to add to the list and grow on.

Regards

Ian

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

David

Ru007's picture
Ru007

Must be very tasty. The crust looks awesome. Based the cracks in it, it must have been nice and crunchy. 

I use my rye starter for every loaf I bake. I just change the flour I feed it for the levain builds to suit my recipe.

Great job!

Ru

 

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

I think the flours are similar to you famous San Joaquin only that the flours switched. This one has additional WW and the rye is in the starter instead of the final dough. Looks grand and tasty!

CAphyl's picture
CAphyl

David:  The photos are so crisp, it feels like I can reach out and touch the crust.  Love to see all the beautiful cracks. Isn't that a wonderful sound when the bread crackles, just out of the oven? Perfect crumb and scoring, too.  Another winner.  Thanks for sharing.  Best, Phyllis

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Between my iPhone camera and a bit of polishing with Photoshop Elements, one can get some pretty decent photos.

David