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The tail end of winter is always when I simultaneously can't wait for it to warm up and am still hoping for snow (so I can go snowboarding).
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During this time of the year, I'm always looking back to recipes that ease the transition, and I almost always dip into the world of rye (sometimes whole spelt, but we'll get there next week).
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While I've been busy working on new recipes, I broke out my bag of Danko rye and returned to classics with a hearty slant, like my 90% whole rye, and a light deli rye loaf perfect for sandwiches.
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To balance things out, sweet scones where I swapped 20% of the wheat flour for rye, too.
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(Oh! And if you haven't read about my upcoming The Perfect Loaf trip to Italy ๐ฎ๐น, check out the itinerary. I'd love to have you along.)
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In this week's newsletter:
Recipes: 90-rye, light deli rye, sourdough scones
Baking Help: Water issues when creating a sourdough starter
Sourdough Links: Baking bread in Japan; Spreading sourdough in the pandemic
๐ Sourdough 90-Rye
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Hearty and deeply satisfying, this almost-whole-rye is perfect when sliced and buttered. I love the complex flavor profile when using so much whole-grain rye, and this bread really delivers.
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This is the perfect loaf to get you through the last few weeks of cold weather!
This deli-style rye is perfect for sandwiches because of its earthy flavor profile and a hint of citrus and pepper from the caraway seeds (something I didn't like until making this bread!).
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The recipe combines quickly with your sourdough starter, a short mix, bulk fermentation, and baking. Get started in the morning, and have fresh rye bread for dinner.
I also returned this week to these tender, flaky scones that cleverly use a full cup of sourdough discard for added flavor. Quick to make, freezer-friendly, and destined to become your breakfast favorite.
There's still limited space left in my trip to northern Italy!
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Come join me for a week in Italy as we bake sourdough bread, panettone, visit artisan Parmigiano Reggiano producers, and make fresh pasta (at one of the most famous pasta schools in Bologna).
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Plus, lots of time to hang out and talk fermentation, sourdough starters, baking at scale, and much more. I guarantee you'll have an incredible time!
Join the TPL membership to get instant access to my baking spreadsheets (including an archive of past recipes), quicksheets, and my 100+ page eBook with exclusive recipes. Plus, join us in our community chat and post photos of your bakes, get help, and generally geek out about bread ๐ค
I just started making a sourdough starter, and I used tap water with chloramine. Do I have to start all over again with bottled water?
If your starter shows signs of activity (bubbles, increase in volume, pleasant sour smell), it's doing fine with your current water. Just keep with your regular feeding schedule. If you do not see much activity after several days, you could switch to filtered or bottled water for a few feedings to help. Once your starter is established and active, you can return to tap water without issues.
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Here, I sometimes let tap water sit out overnight before using it, but honestly, many municipal water systems have such low levels of chloramine that it doesn't significantly impact sourdough cultures.
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Maurizio Leo
Want to make bakery-quality sourdough bread from home? Subscribe for the best sourdough guides and recipes to take your bread from ordinary to incredible.
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