Sponge Dark Sour Rye | The Fresh Loaf

Yesterday I was researching various rye bread formulas and techniques trying to come up with something I could make with what I have on hand (dark rye flour and from a sour dough culture). I was thinking of a Jewish or a German Rye. The Bread Baker's Apprentice was a little help but still didn't have a formula to go on. Several years ago a friend (he was the head baker in the first bakery I use to work at) gave me his formulas, study guides and notes from when he attended Dunwoody Institute back in the early 1960's. I pulled those formulas out and found one for a Sponge Dark Sour Rye. Here are the results. 2 of the 3-1 1/2 # loaves. Baked 2 tonight and will bake the 3rd in the morning.

JC1957's Blog
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Very nice work on your rye loaves. Can you give us a little info on the formula you used?

Classic deli rye bread, they look perfect! Any chance you could share the formula with us....please?

Franko

Beautiful!

Syd

Very nice job. I too would be interested in the formula. Thanks.

Howard

really well done!

Great looking Rye.

Eric

Thanks everyone for the comments. I'm working on the formula and procedure now. I'll post that and crumb pictures as soon as possible.

I didn't get the chance to taste until this morning and it was excellent toasted with butter.

The 3rd loaf got refrigerated overninght and is in the oven now. I wanted to see what the extra time in the fridge would do to effect the flavor and crumb.

I will definitely give this formula a try in the next week or so. I really like rye bread, and this bread looks great for sandwiches.

Best to you in your baking endeavors,

Howard

Here is the formula. It's been copy from Excel. I break the formula down to a 1 oz batch from the originaland then set the final weight that I need to come up with the final formula. The Actual Column is this batch exactly.

Sponge Dark Sour Rye
	ORIGINAL
	FORMULA		Variable	Variable
Ingrediant	Amt/oz	1 OZ Batch	Batch	ROUNDED	Cost/lb	ACTUAL
Sponge	410.000	0.303	26.7	26.6	$0.385	26.5
Dark Rye Flour	128.000	0.095	8.3	8.3	$0.074	8.3
First Clear Flour	568.000	0.420	37.0	37.0	$0.126	37.0
Water (Variable)	224.0000	0.166	14.6	14.6	$0.000	14.6
Salt	16.0000	0.012	1.0	1.0	$0.003	1.0
Ground Caraway Seeds	5.0	0.004	0.3	0.3	$0.022	0.3
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
TOTAL	1351.0	1.000	88	87.8	$0.611	87.7
			Batch Cost	Batch Cost	COST/OZ
			$3.358	$3.350	0.04

	1# LOAF	SUB ROLLS	SUB ROLLS
WEIGHT	22	80	1.5
YEILD	1	18	59
WEIGHT/ROLL/LOAF	22.0	4.4
COST/ROLL/LOAF	$0.84	$0.17	$0.057





Step 1 - Preparatory Sour
	ORIGINAL
	FORMULA		Variable	Variable
Ingrediant	Amt/oz	1 OZ Batch	Batch	ROUNDED	Cost/lb	ACTUAL
Sour Dough	20.000	0.294	1.3	1.3	$0.032	9.2	ACTIVE ITALIAN SOUR CULTURE
Water	32.000	0.471	2.1	2.1	$0.000	3.5	7/8 CUP
Dark Rye Flour	16.000	0.235	1.0	1.0	$0.184	3.5	1 CUP
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
TOTAL	68.0	1.000	4.43	4.4	$0.216	16.2	MIX AND LET SET OVERNIGHT
			4.4

Step 2 - Sponge
	ORIGINAL
	FORMULA		Variable	Variable
Ingrediant	Amt/oz	1 OZ Batch	Batch	ROUNDED	Cost/lb	ACTUAL
Preparatory Sour	48.000	0.117	3.1	3.1	$0.15	8.0
Dark Rye Flour	120.000	0.294	7.8	7.8	$0.229	5.3
Water	240.000	0.587	15.7	15.7	$0.001	13.2
Yeast(INSTANT)	0.6670	0.002	0.044	0.00	$0.003	0.00	Used extra sour and eliminated yeast.
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
		0.000	0.0	0.0	$0.000
TOTAL	408.7	1.000	26.7	26.6	$0.385	26.5	Mix with paddle, cover and let rise on the counter for 3 - 4 hours.

Procedure:

Grind caraway in coffee grinder till there is some powder and the rest broken pieces.

Mix all ingredients with dough hook for 3 minutes and then let rest for 20 minutes.
Continue mixing for 5 minutes or knead on counter for 5-7 minutes.

Let rise in oiled bowl for 1 1/2 hours covered.

Divided into 3 - 1# 12+ oz pieces

Round and let rest on counter (covered w/plastic wrap) for 30 minutes

Form into Batards or Rounds.

Place on the peel with corn meal or parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise for 3 hours till double in size.

At 1.5 hours before baking, set oven up with baking stone or bricks and temperature to 425F

Just prior to baking, egg wash and sprinkle whole caraway seeds &/or Kosher Salt on the surface.

Score across loaves 5-7 times.

Peel into oven and pour hot water into heated pan in oven and a little on the bottom of the oven to steam.

Steam again in 2-3 minutes.

Turn loaves at about 20 minutes.

Bake for 25 -35 minutes total.

In the next picture, the loaf on the left is the one refrigerated overnight and then proofed and baked this morning.

Hello JC1957,
Thanks for posting the formula for these lovely loaves.
Your bread looks picture-perfect to me!
:^) from breadsong

Thanks for the compliments. I should note that I used High Gluten flour (All Trumps) instead on First Clear. I'm having trouble finding First Clear flour locally. Even the wholesale bakery companies like Dawn Foods aren't carrying it anymore. King Arthur has it, but at a premium price. If anyone has a good source, please let me know.

I haven't found any first clear in the KC area either. Google searches have been pointless as well. You might try comparing prices at NYBakers.com, run by Elagins who frequently posts here on TFL. As of this morning, BayState Milling first clear flour flour was available for $6.95/ 5 lbs. The site occasionally has special pricing in the form of sales or discounts. Everybody on TFL that has done business there speaks highly of the service and goods.