Question about Leader's Auvergne Dark Rye
I've started Leader's Auvergne Dark Rye and run into some confusion. Leader describes the first stage of the dough as a "thick, smooth batter". That's using the starter, 350 grams of water and 500 grams of medium or light rye flour. Right off the bat, a dough at 70% hydration is not going to be a batter. In my case, the matter is compounded by the fact that I'm using a stone-ground whole rye flour, which is even more absorptive. Batter? No. Play-Doh? Yes.
After scrounging around TFL and the Web, I find that people have questions about this bread but no one is supplying answers. The final dough hydration of 53% is more in the bagel range and nowhere near Dan's description of "soupy"
So, here's what I've done thus far. Chasing a description is like chasing a will-o-the-wisp, I know, but if I'm going down in flames, I may as well shoot for the biggest fireball I can make. To achieve said "thick, smooth batter", I've added water. And more water. And still more water. Another 325 grams of water, in total. That will put the final dough (assuming that I use every bit of the 200 grams of bread flour the formula calls for) at a 136% hydration. My guess is that it will be more sludgy than soupy, since it isn't soupy right now. We'll see how it turns out.
Meanwhile, do any of you have any prior experience with this bread? Or suggestions to offer?
Thanks,
Paul