So I baked a small version of my go-to deli rye and it came out looking beautiful.
As always, it was lofty, with a thin shattery crust, & a moist & light interior. It's 45% whole rye, 10% whole spelt, 45% bread flour. About 80% hydration.
But: it's lacking the sweetness that the crust normally has. In fact, it's a tiny bit bitter.
What do you think might be the issue?
Among the possibilities--
--the bags of flour, though almost a year from their 'sell-by' dates, have been in my closet, open though the tops are rolled up, for maybe a month. I baked the same bread with the same rye & spelt but different bread flour a month ago and the sweetness was present.
--the starter, after having been refreshed, sat in my fridge for a week or 2.
--I used the starter straight from the fridge -- and the water I used was only luke warm. Then I refrigerated the levain for 12 hours until I had time to bake. This made the final dough quite cool, so I gave it extra fermentation time -- about 2 1/2 hours of bulk instead of 2 hours, about 1 1/4 hours of proof instead of an hour.
-- when I did the final shaping, I sprinkled the counter with spelt flour because I was out of rye.
-- I dripped some water on the boule rather than spraying it before it went into the dutch oven.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks!
Rob
I would blame it on old flour. Enjoy!
The problem with wholemeal and stoneground flours is that the germ contains oils that tend to become rancid and give some bitterness and off flavours . Wholemeal flours often have half the shelf life of white bread flours so about 6 months as a rule. You can always add some Malt extract which will give a bit more sweetness it will also add to the crust colour. Here in AUSTRALIA i use a product produced by Saunders which is available at most supermarkets and i was just thinking the other day how it has remained the same price for years. It can be added to milk shakes and biscuits too.
About Saunders' Malt Extract
Saunders' Malt is a rich extract of roasted malted barley that provides a delicious and nutritious boost when baking.
It’s a natural sweetener that contains both simple and complex carbohydrates and proteins with amino acids, plus it’s full of Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B6 which are great for energy and vitality.
There’s no fat, no traces of nuts, artificial flavours, colourings or preservatives. However Saunders’ Malt Extract is not Gluten Free.
Use Saunders’ Malt Extract to add extra malty flavour to your favourite biscuits, cakes, smoothies and breads, be adventurous and use as a topping on ice cream or cereal or keep it simple and spread it on your toast.
All the whole grain flour I used in this bake came from upstate NY's Farmer Ground Flour and was stamped on the bags that it was good until September or October 2026.
I have baked with bad flour before (a batch of King Arthur Whole Wheat that still had six months till its sell-by date) and this tastes similar. I have been a big booster of FGF's whole grain products, but if their rye flour has gone bad this far from the sell-by date, I fear for the continued quality of their offerings.
When I have time, I'm gonna bake again with a new bag of FGF rye & try some Polish rye as well.
Rob
How does your malt extract (a dry powder, I'm guessing) compare with malt syrup and ground malted rye/barley (like the red rye malt in Baltic ryes)?
so I trashed all the flour I had and bought all new bags and now all is right with the world. The caramel is back in caramelization!
Rob
PS -- this boule was in honor of my father. Some of you may recall that he was my esteemed 102-year-old rye taster. He died late Monday night. I was at his side. This bread's for you, Dad!
I know you said your dear father was in pain and I am glad for his sake that he is now free from that. My heart goes out to you all. Sweet gesture to start with fresh flour and a successful bake.
I’d notify the flour purveyors and ask for a refund or discount on future purchases. 🙏 c
thanks, Caroline ... he would have enjoyed this boule.
As for the flour cos, I guess I can contact them, but as I tossed the bags, I really can't prove their grain was at fault.
Rob
They need to know so they can do their own investigation . They may also already have heard from others and this will further that information gathering to prevent future issues. Information is always helpful.
🙏c
So sorry to hear this news, Rob. Wishing you strength and fond memories of him every time you're needing a rye taster.
Also wishing you a long life of more than one hundred just like your old man.
-Jon
My partner once asked him what accounted for his longevity and acuteness and he said, "luck." Maybe eating good rye bread had something to do with it, too. -- Rob
I'm so sorry about your father, Rob.
On a more minor note, what a fine looking loaf.
TomP
thanks, Tom.
Very sorry to hear about your dad, Rob. It's good he was able to enjoy great bread up to the end, it seems. And nice that you will have memories from him whenever you make a loaf.
This one looks great! I am sure he would have appreciated it.
Yeah: he was a rye guy. Runs in the family, I guess. Rob
I'm very sorry for your loss. That deli rye is a beautiful way to honor his memory.
👍🏼thx! A rye for an often wry guy.