20250829 Simple Wholegrain Rye Bread with CLAS

I’ve always envied bakers who can effortlessly throw together a rye loaf—no weighing, no measuring—just by feel, like their moms and grandmas did. I’ll probably never be that type, but I love having a simple rye bread template I can grab anytime—something I can whip up with whatever’s on hand or tweak with different add-ins when I’m in the mood for a change.

I usually pair whole rye bread with protein before my workouts—the wholegrains give steady energy and keep me full without that heavy, sloshy feeling, which is a big no-no for swimmers. I do the same right after, before a proper meal, to refuel and preserve my muscles. Having a simple rye bread recipe would make keeping it a staple at home so much easier.

I’ve learned that the key to decent rye bread is keeping the dough acidic enough to stop the rye’s amylase from turning it mushy. Using CLAS guarantees a good rye loaf every time. Beyond that, you can play around with the rest of the recipe—the possibilities are endless. Here’s my simple rye recipe for today—tomorrow may change, but the basic framework stays the same:

Makes two loaves in 7×3×4 tins—about half a 9×4×4 Pullman, 825 g each.

150g rye berries

675g water

cooked on Zojirushi rice cooker GABA setting

cooled for use

Soaking whole berries never seems enough—they still worry me because they might chip my teeth, so I always cook them with plenty of water before adding them to the dough.

150g hulled hemp seed

225g hot water

soaked and cooled for use

150g whole wheat CLAS, 150% hydration ( I ran out of rye CLAS)

180g whole rye CLAS, 190% hydration

75g boiling water

23g powder malt extract

23g salt

Mixed well to dissolve and cooled for use

4g dry yeast

465g freshly milled rye flour

extra water as needed, (64g added)

Mix

Combine wet ingredients, add dry, and mix until fully combined.

Shape

Divide dough between tins and smooth tops with a wet spatula.

Prove

ferment at ~38 °C in Walmart toaster oven until pinholes start to appear on the surface.

Bake

in Walmart toaster oven

Slide a black pan into the second-lowest rack position

preheat at 450 °F until the heating elements glow red

450F x 10 mins, no lid

slide another pan into the lowest rack position

375F x 10 mins, no lid, check and foil tops if needed

375F x 20 mins, no lid

375F x  last 10 mins, remove loaves from tins and finish baking on the black pan.

Here’s a slice made with whole-grain rye flour from a local mill—half recipe. The rye berries were cooked with less water (1:4)-the berries were too firm for me. 

P.S.

Oops, I forgot an important step!
Let it cool completely (a fan helps).
Wrap it in a paper towel, slip it into a clear produce bag, and leave it overnight.
Next day, slice it thin—mine is about 7 mm, and enjoy!