Yesterday, I baked a bread based on Ken Forkish's "Pain de Campagne" from Flour Water Salt Yeast. Forkish's is basically a white bread. Mine is made with 500g AP, 200g WW and 100g Rye in the final dough. (The levain contains 160g AP and 40g WW flours.) I also omit the instant yeast. We really like this bread.

Today, I made a German-style rye bread. 

This 70% rye was inspired by Hansjoakim’s “Favorite 70% Rye.” It is basically the same as his formula which I first baked in September, 2009. The baking protocol has been modified slightly and gives a better result, I think.

Procedures:

1. The day before baking, mix the final rye sour build. This should ferment at room temperature for 14-16 hours. 
2. Mix all the ingredients in the final dough in a large bowl. If using a stand mixer, mix for 3 minutes with the paddle at Speed 1. Switch to the dough hook and mix for 2-3 minutes more at Speed 2. The dough at this point is a thick paste with little strength (gluten development providing extensibility and elasticity). Optionally, after mixing, you can knead briefly on a floured board with well-floured hands.
3. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it tightly, and ferment for 1 hour.
4. Transfer the dough to a floured board and pre-shape it into a single round. Cover with plasti-crap or a damp kitchen towel and rest for 5 minutes.
5. Shape the dough into a boule and transfer to a well-floured brotform or banneton. If you want the rustic look of this bake, place the boule seam-side down in the brotform, so, when you flip it on to the baking stone, the seam-side will be up and will open with oven spring. If you want a less rustic look, place the boule in the brotform seam-side up. Then, just before baking, flip it onto a peel and dock the loaf.
6. Cover the boule with plasti-crap or a damp towel and proof for two hours. (My loaf was fully proofed in 1 hr and 45 min.)
7. One hour before baking, pre-heat the oven to 250dC/480dF with a baking stone and your steaming method of choice in place.
8. When ready to bake the bread, turn the oven down to 460 dF. Then transfer the boule to a peel. Score or dock it. if you proofed seam-side up. Otherwise, don’t.  Transfer the boule to the baking stone. Steam the oven.
9. After 10 minutes, remove your source of steam from the oven.
10. After 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 225C/440dF.
11. Bake another 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 205dC/400dF and bake yet another 20 minutes.
12. The loaf is done when the crust feels firm, it gives a “hollow sound” when the bottom is thumped and the internal temperature is 205F or greater.
13. When the loaf is done, turn off the oven, but leave the loaf in it with the door ajar for an additional 10 minutes.
14. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and cool thoroughly. Leave it 24 to 36 hours, loosely wrapped in linen, before slicing.

70% Rye, cooling

This loaf is now cooled and wrapped in bakers linen. It was "cured" for 36 hours before slicing and eating.

Rye in Linen

70% Rye profile

70% Rye Crumb

My idea of a proper Sunday breakfast

Happy baking!

David

P.S. If a medieval German knight had a very good baker, he might be lucky enough to have a bread like this on his table.