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Hamelman's 80% Sourdough Rye with a Rye-Flour Soaker

MmeZeeZee's picture
MmeZeeZee

Hamelman's 80% Sourdough Rye with a Rye-Flour Soaker

Okay, I think Lepard just has too specific a technique for me and that there is something fundamentally different about my flour, my home, my hands, I don't know, for me to use his recipes for a new grain or new technique.  I find Hamelman's recipes more universal, and fascinatingly, then when I go back to Lepard, I find it works better though it still seems to me I'm following the recipes.

I really, really want to do this rye thing.  So I'm going to do the 80% with a soaker.  I don't want to waste more rye flour, though, so please... any tips are welcome.  The rise seems much shorter w/ Hamelman and he has a rest before shaping.  He also has white flour, but perhaps I can slowly transition from this to Lepard's recipe.

Oh, and my oven.  It does seem to bake cool but it works for scones.  I don't know what else to do.  Bake on 10 degrees higher?

wwiiggggiinnss's picture
wwiiggggiinnss (not verified)

I had problems with the 80% rye. It would rise too fast and go flat in the oven.

I moved to the less risky 66% to get my bearings and that helped a lot.

If you do try to 80%, get the temperatures (including your kitchen and oven) just right.

Oh, and watch it closely, as in: pull up a chair.

It's fast.

MmeZeeZee's picture
MmeZeeZee

Hm, okay.  I haven't sat down in the past 1.5 years (when my second child was born).  So maybe I'd better start with 66% even if we don't like the taste as much.

wwiiggggiinnss's picture
wwiiggggiinnss (not verified)

Good luck!

I agree with Hamelman's "let it rest for 24-hours before eating".

I doesn't taste like much when it comes out of the oven, but it's quite good a day later.

wwiiggggiinnss's picture
wwiiggggiinnss (not verified)

Now that I think of it, the only time I'd call the 80% a success was when I baked it in a bread pan. ;\