Hamelman's Sourdough Rye with Raisins and Walnuts
Hey you all!
I've just baked the sourdough rye with raisins and walnuts from Mr. Hamelman's "Bread" book (pg. 208) and I am very happy with it. I really enjoy its texture given by the combination the nuts and fruits with the very spongy crumb. It is not sour at all and the crust is very "crusty". Also, the rye taste is evident, despite of this being a 50% rye bread and despite the other flavors. A very good, very tasty bread, in my opinion.
I halved the quantities and eliminated the yeast from the formula. I used 250 g rye flour No. 1370 (a medium to dark rye flour, 8.3 g proteins) and 250 g wheat flour No. 1050 (a dark flour with 11.6 g proteins, the nearest to high-extraction flour that you can find in Germany). For incorporating the raisins and nuts I used Andy's method illustrated here.
I also added more water during mixing, around 35 ml, raising the hydration from 68 to 75%.
The schedule for this bread looked like this: 8 hours for the sourdough at around 25 degrees, 2 hours 15 minutes bulk fermentation, 10 minutes preshape/shape, 45 minutes final fermentation (in a banneton with cloth and dusted with a lot of flour). (I keep my rye sourdough culture at room temperature and feed it twice a day.)
With scoring things went a bit wrong. This is the fifth rye bread I make and the first one I score, so I kind of panicked. I planned to make five cuts like here, but I ended in two seconds with much more assymetrical cuts. I thought the bread would come out very ugly because of this, but this wasn't really the case in the end. :)
With this bread I also realised I have the worst bread knife ever and that I need a better one very soon. It couldn't deal with the thicker crust of this bread, so the slices were kind of wavy. It also shredded the the crumb here and there, as you can see in the third photo.
I am submitting this post to YeastSpotting.
I wish you all happy baking!
Andreea
Comments
Hi, Andreea. This is indeed a very well done bread. I'm sure it tastes delicious and you don' have to worry about the asymmetrical "cuts". Your loaf has personality :) well done! :)
hugs, codruta
ps. you forgot to add the link to Andy's method.
Dear Codruta, thanks for your words! It is delicious indeed, a bread that I like from all points of view.
I also have just added the link to Andy's video.
Hugs,
Andreea
Great loaf Andreea,
If you are in Berlin, you should have no problems picking a Giesser Messer; my breadknife of choice!
All good wishes
Andy
did Hammelman's recipe justice. That is some well baked bread. Deep dark crust with an open soft crumb with 50% rye and add in to boot. Very nice baking indeed Andreea!
Thank you all for your encouragements!
Andy, I am definitely considering the knife you suggested very soon. I checked it and I'm glad that it's also not awfully expensive as I expected really good knives to be.
All the best to you all!
Hello Andreea,
Your bread looks fantastic - crusty and delicious with the rye, raisins and walnuts.
Your rye sourdough must be happy with the care you give it.
You've made a really beautiful bread!
:^) breadsong
Thanks breadsong! My rye starter looks like it's thriving fed like that. I don't always keep it inside though, now being summer and pretty warm all the time. When I'm in the mood for rye though (and this happens pretty often lately), I take it out of the fridge and feed it 3-4 times every 12 hours, before using it. I do keep my main starter, the 100% hydration wheat always at room temperature, just in case I will feel ike baking next day. :)
I've just baked this bread without the raisins and walnuts and it turned into a very good "daily" bread.
All the best to you!
Andreea