Nury rye baking marathon...tutorial on dealing with high hydration dough...
I have had a busy but very productive day . I made the decision to do a large bake of the Nury so that I could really study the wet dough and make adjustments as the day went by rather than having to wait 1-2 weeks to bake again. We have a large party coming up so the bread will be perfect for that. Gotta watch my Saints win the Super Bowl !
I took a lot of pics in sequence so that you can have an idea of how the dough should look at different stages. I know this has helped me a lot in dealing with the artisinal breads . I hope it will help others too. I didn't get picks of the levain or the dough during folding...sorry..I will get the amazing windowpane next time I promise.
I made enough levain so that I could make 3 double batches. I then made 3 large loaves from each double batch so the loaves came out really nicely sized for sandwiches etc. You will also see that I used rice flour on the counter when cutting the wet dough. The first batch this was an experiment since I don't like the way flour works at all on a counter under wet doughs. After seeing how splendidly this worked I will use it always. Almost none of the rice flour sticks to the dough but the dough , in turn ,doesn't stick to the counter at all so transfer to the parchment is simple . I sprayed the dough cutter with water and wet my finger tips. This prevented anything from sticking to anything else. I had semolina on the parchment because we like the taste so much with the rye bread. I also learned that the dough cutter makes an ugly straight sided loaf so after the 1st one of those I took my wet fingertips and reshaped the cut sides/ends of the loaves after transfer.
Here are the pics...starting with the dough as it came out of the fridge. You will note there are 3 buckets. I took one out waited 45 min and took another out and waited again 45 min and then took out the last. You will see the difference in the dough as it bubbled up while attaining room temp. The 45 min wait between each batch gave time for the 30 min bake and then upping the temp in the oven to 500 again and allowed time to cut and transfer the dough. The formula says to bake at 350 but if you preheat to 500 and then immediately turn back to 460 it allows for misting the bread w/o cooling the oven too much.
just out of fridge after 24 hr. retarding: 
after 1 hr: 
all three buckets--45 min. lag between them starting from left to right : 
dough poured out onto rice flour : 
cut with wet dough cutter--note straight sides of dough...didn't make this mistake again :) 
into the 500 degree oven and quick spritzt with water several times and turn back temp to 460: 
great oven spring ! 
first 3 finished loaves: 
gorgeous open crumb: 
my reward: 
Comments
Your breads look wonderful!
You didn't say anything about the flavor. I haven't made these in a long time, but they were one of the first breads I made where the flavor knocked my socks off.
David
:) after the baking and pics and write up and then making a lovely eggplant/tomato/cheese casserole as an accompaniment to the bread...you will note that the bread was the highlight of the meal .
This is the second time in a month that I have made the Nury. Last time I was completely blown away by the flavor of the rye, given that it is such a small amount, and the scent of the crust. There is just something about this bread , as you noted, that is way more than the sum total of the ingredients.
The texture of the dough while working it is simply amazing, I was able to pull a window that was at least a foot across...noone with me so no pic but next time my husband says he will be here and we will get one. Then the overwhelming growth of the dough after it goes into the fridge...that is eye popping to say the least.
The oven spring and the rich incredible color of the crust and then the fragrance of the bread as it bakes and then cools to a rich robust flavor...I believe I am thoroughly taken with this bread. I think it has a nutty flavor as well as a malt flavor that comes through . I used KA bread flour and a rye from my local health food store. I used my firm rye starter. Nothing extry as we say in Alabama. So the bread as I said is way more than the sum of its' parts.
Thank you David...you have inspired me ever since I came to this forum...you are a great source of information and a fine cheerleader . I have crossed into a new place with my baking of artisinal breads as well as the use of wild yeast...it feels wonderful. c
Eggplant, tomato, cheese casserole..wow..looks and sounds scrumptious.
Betty
It is from the first Vegetarian Epicure cookbook if you have that. My copy is in tatters from so much use. Let me know if you want the recipe. Glad you like the pics of bread too :) Thank you, c
you must be owning a Fridge-Zella. A big Refr. is on my list.
Very Nice bakes! i yearn to such an open crumb, still working on it.
Mebake