Multi-Starter Multi-Grain Sourdough

 Last weekend I converted part of my AP starter to a Rye starter building it up over 3 builds and ending up with a 100% Rye starter.  Since I also refreshed my AP starter I decided to make a new bread utilizing the rye starter which was built using freshly milled rye flour as well as my AP starter.  I used a much higher percentage of rye starter for this bread and also included some freshly milled spelt, Hard Red Winter Wheat and Hard White Wheat along with some additional rye.

I thought using some molasses to cut some of the whole grain bitterness would be a nice addition along with some chocolate balsamic vinegar and some caramel flavored coffee for the liquid.

The final bread came out great with a nice moist open crumb for such a high percentage of whole grains and you can really taste the combination of molasses and coffee.

Formula

300 grams Rye Starter @ 100% Hydration

125 grams AP Starter @ 66% Hydration

150 grams Rye Flour

125 grams Spelt Flour

145 grams Hard Red Whole Wheat

150 grams Hard White Whole Wheat

400 grams Coffee (I used a caramel flavored version)

30 grams Molasses

21 grams Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

17 grams Sea Salt

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours, and coffee together in your mixer or by hand until it just starts to come together, maybe about 1 minute.  Let it rest in your work bowl covered for 20-30 minutes or longer.  Next add the salt, starters, molasses, and balsamic vinegar and mix on low for 3 minutes.  Mix on medium for another 3 minutes and then remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Remove the dough and shape as desired.   Place your dough into your proofing basket(s) and cover with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.  The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature.  Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 500 degrees and after another 3 minutes lower it to 450 degrees.  Bake for 35-50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 210 degrees.

Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.