There may be nothing better for a sandwich than some hearty rye bread with plenty of caraway flavor. This recipe contains all my regular rye bread must-haves: cocoa powder, molasses, caraway and dill seed, but this recipe amps up the flavor even more with garlic powder and black pepper. The texture is also great for sandwiches as Jewish-style rye typically has a higher white flour count, meaning it has more gluten. In the end, you’ll have a full-flavored bread, with a tight crumb that’s amazing for holding up to the piled-high meats for your deli sandwich.
You will need:
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Gram scale
- Large mixing bowl & towel to cover
- Small pan
- Dough scraper
- 9″ banneton
- Razor blade or bread lame
- Dutch oven
- Parchment paper
- Small cast iron pan (with optional volcano rocks) for steam
- Digital thermometer
Ingredients:
- 175g levain/starter (made from 75g starter, 75g water, 75g flour, fermented about 6 hours)
- 325g water
- 300g bread flour
- 160g coarse rye flour
- 15g salt
- 1 TBSP sunflower or avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2TBSP molasses
- 2 TBSP pure cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or sub with onion powder)
- 1 tsp onion powder (or sub with garlic powder)
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 TBSP diastatic malt powder (optional)
- 1 tsp caraway seed
- 1 tsp dill seed
Directions:
1.) Get the starter active by feeding it and allowing around 6 hours to ferment. The starter is ready when it will easily float on the surface of the water.
2.) Toast the caraway and dill seed in small pan on medium for a minute or two, until the seasonings are toasted and aromatic. Transfer the toasted seeds and coarsely crush with a mortar and pestle.
3.) Combine the starter and water and mix well. Then add the bread & rye flour. salt, oil, molasses, cocoa powder, garlic and onion powder, black pepper, toasted crushed dill & caraway seed, and malt powder (optional). Mix well with a spoon until it comes together and continue to combine by hand until a shaggy dough has formed.
4.) After about 30 minutes, complete a series of stretch and folds. Pull an edge of the dough out and away and then back towards the center of the dough. Move around in a circle to create the tension all around the dough ball. Complete one coil fold to complete the process. Wait 20-30 minutes to perform another set of stretch & folds. Repeat this process a couple more times over the next hour.
5.) Let the dough sit, undisturbed and covered with a damp cloth, for the remainder of its bulk fermentation. You will know it is finished with its bulk ferment when the dough has risen about 75% (just short of doubling) in size, is smooth and puffy on top, with a few bubbles around the edges. This will take about 5-7 hours, depending on the temperature of your home. If the temperature in your home is above 72 degrees, this will be on the lower end; if it is cooler it will take on the longer end. Always go by the look and feel of your dough to know when it is finished proofing rather than time.
6.) When finished with bulk fermentation, generously dust your work surface with flour, as well as the top of the dough. Pour the dough out gently onto the work surface and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Transfer flour under the dough using the dough slicer and loosen the dough from the work surface by pulling it towards yourself. Turn 45 degrees and repeat the process of pulling towards yourself. Continue this process until the dough increases in tension and is more ball-like in shape.
7.) Generously dust the banneton with bread flour (or flour dusted linen-lined banneton). Carefully lift the dough and flip it upside down into the banneton (the side that was face up while shaping will now be face down in the banneton). The dough will now go through its final rise. You can do this on the counter, which will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 70 degrees F for the dough to aerate (it will take on a jiggly consistency). It will not double. OR you can do the final rise overnight in the refrigerator, with the banneton covered with a very damp cloth in order to prevent the dough exterior from drying out.
8.) Time to bake. Preheat your oven to 490F degrees, with your Dutch oven preheating in the bottom half inside the oven (as well as, ideally, a small cast iron pan in the bottom rack as a steam pan). Preheat for one hour. Flip your dough out gently onto flour-dusted parchment paper and score your dough (I usually just make an X with razor blade). If you did the final rise in the refrigerator, take it straight from fridge to scoring. Similarly, if the dough has been proofing at room temp, you can place it in the freezer for the final 30 minutes in order to make it easier to score. You should score it cold, and DO NOT need to let it come to room temp.
9.) Put the scored dough into the Dutch oven on flour-dusted parchment paper and put the lid on. Turn oven down to 485F and slide Dutch oven in. Quickly add around 3 cups of ice to the cast iron pan, Close the oven and bake for 22 minutes.
10.) Turn heat down to 465F degrees, remove the lid, and bake for 19-20 more minutes, until crust is golden brown and internal temperature is between 200-210F. Remove from oven, and remove bread from Dutch oven and place onto a cooling rack. Allow at least an hour to cool. Alternately, once the oven is turned off, you can allow the bread to remain in the (uncovered) Dutch oven in the oven for 25 minutes to cure the bread for an even crispier crust. Some suggest allowing the bread to dry on a rack overnight or for at least 8 hours before eating.
