This sourdough rye bread is the simplest sourdough you can make - there's no kneading or folding, and you'll need just sourdough starter, rye flour and water.
Sourdough rye bread has a deliciously nutty-sour-tangy-earthy flavour, a sweet and honey-like aroma, and a distinctively dense texture. I've added cumin seeds to this version, but you can add leave them out, or anything you like - caraway seeds are popular.
This tried, tested and very delicious recipe is from Kevan Roberts, Head of Baking at The School of Artisan Food.
The School of Artisan Food
The School of Artisan Food is nestled in the heart of the Welbeck Estate near Worksop, and its where I spent a glorious August training at their first ever Summer School.
The course is designed to equip students a range of skills and techniques involved in artisan baking, patisserie and viennoiserie over a 4-week, full time course, held in the school's specialist training rooms.
The simplicity of sourdough rye bread
This 100% rye sourdough tin loaf recipe is taught in week one of The School of Artisan Food's Summer School, because it's the really easiest sourdough there is.
To make it, all you'll do is combine a little rye sourdough starter (or white sourdough starter if that's all you have) with some water and rye flour and leave to ferment for a couple of hours.
Then you'll add more rye flour and more water (plus the cumin seeds if you're using them), give it another 30 minutes to develop, and then scoop the whole thing into a greased tin.
No kneading or folding is required at all. At this point, your dough will kind of feel and look like wet cement, with a grey hue that isn't super appealing. It's pretty funny because it turns out looking, smelling and tasting so delicious, so you just have to trust the process!
You'll then dust the top of your dough with white flour and allow it to prove for a couple more hours. In that time, the dough will rise and the flour on top will start to crack, creating that final, beautifully top that's so distinctive of rye bread.
Then all that's left to do is bake, chucking a mug of water into a tray at the bottom of your oven to steam the bread and ensure a beautiful rise. Easy peasy!
Ready to make this gorgeous sourdough rye bread, courtesy of The School of Artisan Food?
Read on for the full recipe with detailed instructions and a helpful photograph for every step. And if you have any questions, just leave me a comment. Enjoy!
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- Ingredients
- Equipment
- Instructions with step-by-step photos
- Full printable recipe
- More bread recipes to try
Ingredients
For the rye levain
- 20 g rye sourdough starter or whatever starter you have
- 200 g dark rye flour
- 200 g water
For the dough
- 250 g dark rye flour plus extra for dusting
- 225 g water
- 9 g salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds optional
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make the rye levain
Mix the rye levain starter, rye flour and water to form a wet dough.
Cover and leave to ferment somewhere warm for two hours. I put mine in the oven with the light on.
Make the dough
Add the flour, salt and cumin seeds to the levain.
Add the water.
Mix until flour has been fully incorporated.
Cover and allow to ferment for 30 minutes.
Drop into a well-greased tin.
Flatten off.
Shape the sides with a wet plastic scraper.
Dust the top evenly and generously with flour.
Prove for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size and with cracks on the surface.
Bake
Towards the end of the proving time, place a deep tray in the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 250C.
Put the loaf in the oven and pour a cup of water into the tray at the bottom. Take care of the steam.
Bake for 40 minutes, opening the door after 25 minutes to release the steam - careful, the steam will be extremely hot.
Once baked, take the loaf out of the oven, tip onto a cooling rack and leave for several hours - rye cools slowly.
Wait for 24 hours before slicing and eating, otherwise it will be sticky inside.
Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.
I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.
Print this Sourdough rye bread recipe
Sourdough Rye Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the rye levain
- 20 g rye sourdough starter or whatever starter you have
- 200 g dark rye flour
- 200 g water
For the dough
- 250 g dark rye flour plus extra for dusting
- 225 g water
- 9 g salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds optional
Instructions
Make the rye levain
- Mix the rye levain starter, rye flour and water to form a wet dough.
- Cover and leave to ferment somewhere warm for 2 hours. I put mine in the oven with the light on.
Make the dough
- Add the flour, water, salt and cumin seeds. Mix until flour has been fully incorporated.
- Cover and allow to ferment for 30 minutes.
- Drop into a well-greased tin.
- Flatten off the tip, then shape the sides with a wet plastic scraper.
- Dust the top evenly and generously with flour.
- Prove for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size and cracked on the surface.
Bake
- Towards the end of the proving time, place a deep tray in the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 250C/480F.
- Put the loaf in the oven and pour a cup of water into the tray at the bottom. Be careful of the steam.
- Bake for 40 minutes, opening the door after 25 minutes to release the steam - careful, the steam will be extremely hot.
- Once baked, take the loaf out of the oven, tip onto a cooling rack and leave for several hours - rye cools slowly.
- Wait for 24 hours before slicing and eating, otherwise it will be sticky inside.
Nutrition
More bread recipes to try
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