Beet and Sprouted Rye

This was sort of a last minute, random idea loaf that turned out really, really well!  Gotta love fermentation...

The formula:

Used a small percent of whole grain rye flour for the flavour.  Added in grated, cooked beet and sprouted rye berries after autolyse.  Added water, too; probably another 100g or so, bringing hydration to around 85%.  This time I felt that the dough was perfectly hydrated, if a bit sticky.  Shaping was relatively easy and smooth.

The timeline:

Due to the lack of original plan, the leaven was just stater that I fed in the morning, something like 60/120/120 starter, flour, water.  Carried through a relatively long bulk rise, about 4 hours, with about 6 turns.  As usual, retarded around 40 degrees overnight.  Baked in the Lodge: 510 for 20 minutes, covered; 450 for 32 minutes, uncovered.  Dough stuck a bit to the cloth in the bowl, but both loaves retained their shape incredibly well and "stood up" in the cooker.  Great volume.  Was curious how the beet color would fare over the bake, as it "looked like a joke" in its raw state, according to my roommate.  I have to agree.  Fun bake for sure, glad I figured it out despite the last minute decision.

Here are some pictures:

Was incredibly pleased with the crumb of this one.  Pretty much exactly what I strive for: open but not too open, moist but not gummy, soft but sturdy.  Flavor was great, but not notably unique.  The beets and sprouted rye may have added a bit of flavor, but did more for the bread in terms of aesthetics.  I like the slight red-pink hue and flecks of deeper color.  

Happy baking,

Bradley,

IG/Twitter: @bmeilinger