Borodinsky

The hardest thing about baking my first Borodinsky Bread was waiting two days after it came out of the oven to try it.  At 80% rye (65% medium, 15% coarse), the books ("Bread" and "The Rye Baker") advice 2 days in a couche to fully set and develop the flavor.

Borodinsky photos:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/2HZvrKDhm73n1h9Y7  Scald, bread, and slice

Formula from "The Rye Baker":  https://drive.google.com/file/d/15y-7VoVTKHX0qUy1jS-hcN2_NEuMbQhj/view?usp=drive_link

My first taste was OK, my wife tactfully said it was OK but not special.  But when I tried another slice with lox, and one with a mashed avocado (think of it as my Eastern European ancestry meeting my current home in California), it was terrific. The crumb is a bit more open than those of my other ryes, presumably because of the scald. Speaking of which, the sponge didn't show any unusual activity with my rather sluggish starter.  But when I combined it with the scald, it took off - I guess what they say about the amylase in the scald must be true.  When I made the final dough, it again grew prodigiously, and faster than expected (maybe 45 - 60 minutes).  My bread pan, at 9" x 5" x 3", about 6% smaller than the recommended 9 x 4 x 4, ran over.  

I used mail-order solod, slow-arriving and expensive.  When that runs out, I'd like to try the liquid rye malt extract recommended by Mariana, if I can find it - suggestions welcome.  

I may try a scald with red rye malt in Jewish Bakery Pumpernickel https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yMGc9gUnH8Cmn6I49EquwoQhwt_ikHT6/view?usp=sharing instead of the caramel coloring, for the color and the lively rise.  Suggestions on the proportions and procedure welcome.