Back to Baking

With the advent of a new job and a change of location I stopped baking bread over the last few years. A few loaves here and there but using quick and less tasty recipes. Reasons included not having time to bake (full time job and running regularly) and moving to a place with less space in the kitchen (very difficult to get my Kenwood chef out easily). Well the Kenwoods gone, I have a new 4 day/week job and I was fortunate/unfortunate enough to slip a disc over Christmas! So sat around on a sunny Sunday unable to run I decided to go out and buy a bag of Rye flour to start a new culture.

On the back of the pack I found a little recipe for Rye soda bread so while I'm waiting for my starter to, well, start I thought I'd give it a go.

Mixed results, tasty but very heavy and not particually risen. Went well with a Tuscan bean soup mind. I know 100% rye bread doughs tend to be like this but I do wonder whether the 60% hydration was a little low. It may be an overeaction but I found this recipe from doves farm with 80% hydration. Does anyone else bake 100% Rye soda bread? What hydration do you use?