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–+ servings

Jewish Rye Bread

Traditional Jewish rye bread with a rye sour and old bread soaker, producing tangy rye flavor and a moist, chewy crumb.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Jewish
Servings 18 slices

Ingredients
  

Rye sour

  • 14 g ripe sourdough starter 1 rounded tablespoon
  • 237 g whole rye flour King Arthur Pumpernickel Flour; 2 1/4 cups
  • 198 g water room temperature, about 70°F; 7/8 cup

Old bread soaker

  • 74 g bread 1 heaping cup
  • 74 g water cool; 1/3 cup

Dough

  • 420 g unbleached all-purpose flour 3 1/2 cups
  • rye sour all from above except 1 rounded tablespoon reserved
  • 241 g water about 80°F; 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon
  • 85 g old bread soaker from above, at room temperature; 1/3 cup
  • 1 tbsp caraway seeds optional
  • 1/2 tsp ground caraway seeds optional
  • 12 g table salt 2 teaspoons
  • 1 tsp instant yeast

Instructions
 

Prepare the rye sour and soaker

  • Mix the rye sour ingredients until fully hydrated; the mixture will be very stiff. Cover and leave at about 70°F for 13 to 16 hours.
  • Cut the bread for the soaker into roughly 1-inch cubes, moisten with the cool water, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, squeeze out excess water and break the bread down to a stiff-oatmeal consistency. Measure 85 g and bring it to room temperature.

Mix and rise

  • Combine the dough ingredients in a mixer. With a dough hook, mix on the lowest speed for 3 minutes, then on speed 2 for 3 minutes. Aim for a finished dough temperature near 78°F.
  • Transfer to an oiled, covered bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
  • Deflate the dough and let it rest, covered, on a floured surface for 10 minutes.

Shape and bake

  • Preheat the oven and a baking stone, if using, at 460°F for 1 hour. For steam, preheat a cast-iron pan on a lower rack.
  • Shape into a bâtard/football-shaped loaf without tearing the surface. Place on lightly greased parchment dusted with coarse cornmeal, cover, and proof 40 to 45 minutes in a warm place.
  • Moisten the loaf surface, add caraway seeds if desired, and score five crosswise cuts, slightly shorter toward the ends.
  • Transfer the loaf to the hot stone or a baking sheet. Partially cover with a large metal bowl to retain steam. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to the preheated pan and bake 10 minutes, then remove the bowl.
  • Reduce the oven to 430°F and bake another 30 to 35 minutes, until deep golden brown and at least 205°F internally.
  • Moisten the crust again after baking and cool completely on a rack overnight before slicing.

Notes

Recipe by Barb Alpern for King Arthur Baking. The reserved tablespoon of rye sour may be discarded or used to maintain a rye starter. This dough remains sticky; wet hands are preferable to adding excess flour. Save a large slice of the baked loaf for a future old-bread soaker.
Keyword caraway, Jewish rye, rye bread, sourdough
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