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Silesian Light Rye Bread

Being a busy mum I usually make the dough in the morning, at about 8-9am while kids are having breakfast. The dough is ready for shaping the loaves around noon and the baking takes place around 2pm. Addition of a small amount of dry yeast gives more predictable timing.

Starter - the night before:

25 g rye sourdough starter

90 g water

90 g rye flour, light or dark.

Mix together into a paste and leave, covered, overnight to ferment.

In the morning make the dough using:

All of the starter

500g white strong flour

1/4 tsp (1g) fast active yeast

1.5 tsps salt (8g)

300 g water

1 tsps caraway seeds (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Leave for 10 minutes to autolise.

If using stand mixer - mix on a meduim speed untill the dough is well developed. Put into lightly oiled container, cover with clingfilm and leave to double.

If kneeding by hand, after 10 minutes rest tip the dough onto an oiled or lightly floured surface and knead for 10-20 seconds. Put the dough into a lightly oiled container. Cover with clingfilm and leave for about twenty minutes. Repeat the short kneading/resting or do a stretch-fold by folding it into itself two times with 20 minutes interval. Return to the container, cover and let it double.

I shape mine into one oval loaf, proof seam up, in a basket or bowl lined with a floured cloth fro about an hour. cover losely with a cling film or a tea towel, ensuring the top of the dough is well floured.

Preheat the oven on to 200 deg C (gas mark 7) with a baking tray in it.

When the loaf has risen and ready to bake, tip the loaf carefully onto a tray or a big chopping board covered with a piece of baking paper (to be used as a paddle peelpeel). Slash the top, spray with some water and slide the loaf with baking paper onto the pre-heated baking tray (or a pre-heated stone if you have one). Bake for around 40-50 minutes until nicely brown and hollow-sounding.

P.s. sadly cannot add oictures for whatever reason :(