This “Coffee Rye” sourdough bread combines the rich, earthy flavors of freshly brewed coffee with the hearty taste of rye, resulting in a loaf that’s both robust and flavorful. Infused with the deep, complex notes of coffee—whether it’s a high-quality medium roast Colombian brew, a bold dark roast, or any other variety you choose—this bread offers a unique balance of earthy and slightly sweet flavors. Enhanced by the addition of raw cocoa and molasses, this loaf is perfect for those looking to add a bit of excitement to their baking repertoire.
Note: This is a rye-flour heavy recipe. Rye flour is low in gluten and will not have the same rise as with bread flour or all-purpose flour. It tends to make more dense loaves with more of a closed-crumb. Yet the use of bread flour in the levain and supplementing in the recipe gives it a nice balance. This is a really hearty bread; you’ll love toasting it on a winter morning and topping with some good butter.
Items Needed:
- Small pan (for toasting spices)
- Mortar and pestle (for crushing spices)
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Digital kitchen scale (recommended for accurate measurements)
- Damp cloth
- Bench scraper
- Parchment paper
- 9″ banneton (proofing basket)
- Bread lame, sharp knife, or razor blade (for scoring)
- Dutch oven or heavy cast iron pot with lid
- Cast iron pan (optional, for steam)
- Lava rocks (optional, placed on cast iron pan for added steam)
- A few cups of ice (for creating steam during baking)
- Digital baking thermometer
- Wire rack
Ingredients:
- 320g hot coffee (I use high quality, low-acid medium roast Colombian beans, brewed in a French press) (1 1/3 cup)
- 300g rye flour (2 ½ cups) (I use coarse, dark)
- 150g bread flour (1 ¼ cups)
- 200g levain (¾ cup)
- 2 TBSP raw cocoa (10g)
- 2 TBSP molasses (40g)
- 2 tsp diastatic malt powder (15g) (optional)
- 14g salt (2.5 tsp)
- 1 tsp each dill seed & 1 tsp caraway seed, toasted and coarsely crushed
Instructions:
1. Preparing the levain:
- Around 6 hours before you plan to mix your dough, feed your starter equal parts bread flour and water (at least 100g of each) to measure 200g later.
- Alternatively, to make a levain (my preferred method), remove 50g from your starter and combine it in a separate container with 100g water and 100g bread flour. Cover and keep at room temperature.
2. Toasting the Spices (Optional but Recommended):
- In a small pan, toast the caraway seeds and dill seeds over medium-low heat until fragrant (1-2 minutes, tossing)
- Transfer the toasted spices to a mortar and pestle and coarsely crush them.
3. Mixing the Dough:
- In a large bowl, pour 320g hot coffee over 300g rye flour and mix. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (this is important).
- Once cooled, add 200g levain, 2 TBSP molasses, and 2 TBSP raw cocoa to the mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Add 150g bread flour, 14g salt, toasted and crushed caraway seeds, toasted and crushed dill seeds, and 2 tsp malt powder (if using). Mix until all ingredients are well combined. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent surface drying.
4. First Stretch and Folds:
- Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
- Perform the first set of stretch and folds: Wet your hands, grab a portion of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it towards the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4 times.
- Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth during the rest periods between folds.
5. Additional Stretch and Folds with Coil Folds:
- Repeat the stretch and folds every 30 minutes for a total of 4 sets (approximately 2 hours).
- After each set, incorporate coil folds by gently lifting the dough from the center, allowing it to fold under itself.
6. Primary Fermentation:
- After the final set of folds, keep the bowl covered with a damp towel.
- Let the dough rise until it has nearly doubled in size, approximately 3-4 more hours.
7. Shaping and Secondary Fermentation:
- Flour your work surface and gently turn the dough out onto it. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a boule by pulling it towards yourself in a circular motion, creating surface tension.
- Liberally flour the 9″ banneton, and place the shaped dough seam-side up. Cover with a dry towel.
- Choose between room temperature rise (2-4 hours) or refrigerator cold ferment (12-24 hours). (Unless in a pinch for time, the cold ferment method is advised.)
8. Preheating the Oven:
- About 1 hour before baking, preheat your oven to 485°F (250°C) with a Dutch oven or heavy cast iron pot inside. Optionally, place a cast iron pan with lava rocks on the bottom rack for steam.
9. Baking:
- 30 minutes before baking, you may place the dough-filled banneton in the freezer.
- When ready to bake, turn the dough onto lightly floured parchment paper, do any final shaping for the dough to be upright and taut, and score the top.
- Transfer the dough to the preheated Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and add ice to the steam pan if using.
- Bake covered at 485°F (250°C) for 22 minutes.
- Remove the lid, reduce temperature to 465°F (240°C), remove the steam pan, and bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is deep brown and internal temperature is 205-210°F (96-99°C).
10. Cooling:
- Keep the bread in the Dutch oven inside the main oven with the door open for 25 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely overnight or up to 24 hours.
Check out this Rachel Sandwich I made with this coffee rye bread! Think of the Rachel sandwich as the Reuben’s fun cousin who went to a summer camp and came back all revamped – swapping the corned beef for turkey and the sauerkraut for coleslaw, but keeping the same deliciously messy charm! (The Russian Dressing is my usual recipe.) To post your own sandwich creations check out our Facebook group Rate My Sandwich!
