Tourte de seigle - recipe and research

I've wanted to try the tourte de seigle pur (100% rye bread) from l'Ecole international de boulangerie's video tutorial for a while.

Interestingly enough, the search phrase 'tourte de seigle' only nets 11 results on TFL. Of those including the recipe, most reference Stanley Ginsberg's, of which there are three on his site. Coincidentally, one of the three is actually adapted from EIDB's video. It is adapted. Not everything is the same. Ginsberg offers more clarity in some parts, but also omits some of the original details. I reproduce below most of the key points.

A rough translation/paraphrasing of the EIDB recipe:

First stage

• 1 kg rye flour T170 (100%)
• 1 kg 120% hydration rye levain (100%)
• 1 L water (100%)

The rye levain should be mature at pH 3,80. Mix together all of the water and all of the levain. Knead for 5-7 minutes on the lowest speed in a mixer. The dough after mixing should be homogenous and the temperature should be hot, about 30-35 degrees C. Ferment this first stage dough at 35 C for 1,5 hours or until the dough has reached a pH of 4.

Rye dough is fragile. One must take particular care of the dough temperature and viscosity. Rye is rich in pentosans, and pentosanase is an enzyme that will, in an acidic environment, degrade the pentosans and thereby reduce the viscosity of the dough. The pH of the dough is therefore more important than the fermentation time as an indicator that the dough is ready to move on to the next stage.

1,5 hours later, the dough has risen visibly. The pH is measured to be 4.

Second stage

• 2 kg rye flour T170 (100%)
• 1,7 L water (85%)
• 40 g salt (2%)
• 3 kg first stage dough (150%)

The second stage will allow us to double the quantity of dough. Mix together the water, flour, salt, and the first stage dough. Mix for 15 minutes on the lowest speed in a mixer. Transfer to a vessel of suitable size. Flatten and smooth the surface well. Ferment this final dough at 35 C for 1,5 hours or until the dough has reached a pH of 4,10.

At the end of the second fermentation, the dough will be well-risen. Generously flour the bannetons of 22 cm diametre. The principle will be to place the dough directly into the bannetons without shaping, using a wet dough scraper. Proceed delicately to maximally preserve the structure of the risen dough and avoid degassing the dough. Use a scale to place 1,5 kg of dough equally in each banneton. During this process one can see the mousse-like structure of the dough. The idea is to protect this mousse-like texture until baking.

Rest the dough in the well-floured bannetons for about 5-10 minutes. This resting time is essentially to allow the uneven pieces of dough to come together and for the dough surface to smooth out. Once the different pieces of dough in the banneton are no longer visible, the dough is ready for baking.

Lightly flour the top surface of the dough. To save some time (since the dough is fragile), start by putting steam in the oven. Then turn out the dough from the bannetons and place into the oven. Give another burst of steam. Bake for 20 minutes at 240 C, then reduce the temperature by 20 degrees every 20 minutes, finishing at 200 C in one hour. Wait for at least half a day before cutting open.

The traditional French tourte de seigle is relatively flat with a magnificently crackled top. The crumb is darker and more open than the German version, which is rounder with a denser crumb.

~End translation~

Summary of total formula

• 100% rye flour T170
• 91.% 94.% hydration
• 1.1% salt
• 43.% 42.% prefermented flour

There are actually many variations in the tourte de seigle recipes available online. For example, although the EIDB recipe does not specify, one can see in the video that the rye levain is a liquid levain (Suspiciously sloshy, so perhaps even higher than 100% hydration. Ginsberg assumes 100% hydration. I will probably do the same). But other recipes use:

• levain dur (stiff levain)
• levain dur salé (stiff levain with salt)
• pâte fermentée
• levain dur + pâte fermentée - this one is fairly common

Usage of T130 farine bise de seigle instead of T170 farine integrale is also common. The non-existant shaping and the very short proof in the banneton is a general constant.

First attempt to come. I do not plan on measuring the pH of the dough, so should be interesting.

Updated 05/02/2022.