Weekend Baking, 26th-27th March 2011

Hi Franko,

Many thanks for your kind words; it's really good to hear from you

Regarding formula construction: the Rye bread philosophy originally comes from my time at Village Bakery, where Andrew Whitley used a 50% sourdough in the formula as his base...this being for his Rossisky [Russian Rye Bread], as opposed to the flavoured Borodinsky.

To this day, I use the same proportions of Dark Rye Flour and Water to maintain my Rye Sourdough.   However, as soon as I went to College, I came to appreciate the importance of the % of pre-fermented flour, as opposed to the amount of sourdough in the formula.   I guess I'd already partially worked this out, as we maintained a stiff levain for our French Country Breads, and a liquid sour for the rye.

So, I began to work with rye sour at 30 - 35% pre-fermented flour in the total formula.   I've never deviated from that, and always ensured that the rye sour is fully fermented through before use.   So, it is a genuine SOURdough.   Think about the pentosans here!

For the Sunflower Seed Boule, it really was a matter of how much leaven and sour was available, and how much white flour I had left in my kitchen cupboard.   Simple as that, really.

For the large boule with mixed leavens, I based the formula on something I knew would work with an overnight retard.   I am finding that small amounts of leaven of 10 - 15% do not always produce consistent results.   Indeed some of my last attempts have produced blowouts, suggesting underproof.   This, in spite of total confidence in the leavening power of my 2 cultures.

Anyway, no real pattern, but pleasing results, which I'm sure you can see, demonstrate reason in action.

All good wishes

Andy

Hi Karin,

Really good to hear from you!

Shoyu is a type of soy sauce.   Simply toast the sunflower seeds under the grill, doused with some shoyu.   Turn the seeds as necessary to stop them burning.   Toast until dry, cool and add to the bread dough once "mixed".

Seeds prepared in this way make a great snack too!   Especially, with a beer, or, glass of wine as an aperitif!

All good wishes

Andy

Hi Larry,

Always good to hear from you; hope the new job is going well?

I'm not quite satisfied with the Borodinsky in one respect.   The flavour is great don't get wrong.   But I still haven't tracked down any Light Rye flour!

I prefer the Dark Rye in the sour.   I'm unsure about which flour to use in the scald; maybe the light rye will be more effective bursting the starch molecules?

But I really like to keep this bread at 100% rye flour.   To do this, using Light Rye in the final paste is very effective; thus adding wheatflour is not necessary.

A colleague has some spare light rye flour, so I hope to try this version soon.

Very best wishes

Andy

I always thought there to be a bit more about shoyu and tamari than ordinary soy sauce: have I got this right?

Best wishes

Andy

Hi Khalid,

Thank you for your kind words.

Yes, running 2 leavens side by side can be tricky.   But, I know I want sourness from the rye; so full fermentation.   But I don't want the same in the wheat.   This is a dough which I aim to have at peak, or, just over.   Balancing the 2 is the trick to perfecting the flavour and performance in this loaf.

My wheat levain is built with strong white flour from Carrs of Silloth [near Carlisle, in the NW of England].   It combines Canadian and English wheat, primarily, I believe, and goes under the general description of "world-class flour"...can't be bad!

Best wishes

Andy