20220129 Backstube Zopf - Flocken Sesam

To learn more about concentrated lactic acid sourdough (CLAS), please see here and here. 

A few years ago, when I read about how a Japanese bakery called Backstube Zopf builds its rye starter, I asked myself: How is this possible? With just two builds in 24 hours, the bakery makes an active, aromatic rye starter with a pH of 3.6 to 3.8. It also seemed incredible that the bakery's typical bread production cycle is so fast. It includes no bench time or a very brief rest after mixing (e.g., 15 minutes). Then there is a 30 to 60-minute proof followed by baking. 

Backstube Zopf is located in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The bakery initially caught my attention because of its extensive rye bread menu. The bakery's owner, Yasutomo Ihara, is an artisan baker passionate about promoting rye bread to the Japanese people. 

I later learned that the secret to the bakery's operation is two industrial rye sourdough cultures: one called TK starter, made by a German company, BÖCKER; and the other one called Active Sour, made by a Japanese company, オリエンタル酵母工業株式会社. These cultures are aroma-intensive and able to sour immediately. They are not only expensive but also unavailable to individuals. Without access to these commercial cultures, having a rye starter like the one in the bakery seemed like an unreachable dream for a home baker. 

Then CLAS came into my life unexpectedly. It takes 24 hours to make. It has a pH of 3.6 to 3.8. With the addition of CLAS, the flavor of every bread recipe is taken up a notch. It allows me to make delicious, bakery-grade rye bread at home quickly and easily in a simple way that I never imagined possible. What a pleasant surprise! It's a dream come true!    Thanks to Rus, the rye baker who showed me the tricks, I'm forever grateful. 

As you know, I have a sweet tooth. I'm trying to build up my sweet bread recipes so that I have enough recipes to rotate. Lately, because of the holidays, I've been eating a lot of sweet bread made with refined flour, so now it's time to switch to whole-grain. Backstube Zopf has a sesame raisin walnut rye that looks very tempting. Here's the (65%rye35%spelt) whole-grain version I made with CLAS:

A.

35% fresh whole spelt flour, ground in the Vitamix

15% whole rye flour - CLAS

28.5% water - CLAS 

mix to autolyze as I prepare other ingredients

B. 

22% flaked rye

51% boiling water

mix to rehydrate the flakes

C.

1.5% salt

0.3% dry yeast

D.

29% fresh whole rye flour, ground in the Vitamix

E.

16% water

F.

19% golden raisins, rum-nuked

19% raisins, rum-nuked

38% walnut

Total dough weight ~ 1400g

Mix

in the Zojirushi bread machine

1. 

add A. mix ~10 mins to strengthen the gluten

2.

add B. gradually

mix until incorporated

add C. 

mix until incorporated

3.

add D.

add E. gradually until the dough feels right

4.

Transfer the mixed dough to KA 

as I don't want the sticky dough to ruin my precious Zo

5.

KA+paddle

add F.

mix briefly to incorporate

Bulk

33C x 30 mins

in the meantime

butter the bundt pan 

coat with white sesame seeds

Shape

round

poke a hole in the center

gently load into the bundt pan

load the bundt pan into a granite roaster

Proof

35C x ~210 mins

until cracks appear on the surface

Bake

cold oven 

Lid on granite roaster

set to 400F, ~20 mins

400F x 40 mins

Cool 

wrap in tea towels

put in a plastic bag overnight

See Mini's advice for more tips on cooling rye loaf.

Thanks, Mini!💋💋💋