Hamelman's 40% Rye with Caraway

Profile picture for user dmsnyder
dmsnyder on 12 Sep 2008 at 21:45

Hamelman's 40% Rye with Caraway

Hamelman's 40% Rye with Caraway

Hamelman's 40% Rye with Caraway Crumb

Hamelman's 40% Rye with Caraway Crumb

This is the second of Hamelman's rye breads I've made. The first was his Flaxseed Bread, which I thought was pretty terrific.

 Eric Hanner's photos of Hamelman's 40% rye looked so great (as did SteveB's), and others who had made it gave it such rave reviews, well! How could I not make it?

Eric and Steve both used AP flour and Medium Rye Flour. On reading Hamelman's formula, I found he calls for Whole Rye Flour and High-gluten flour. Since I had both of those, I used them. (Actually, I chickened out and used 2/3 high-gluten and 1/3 bread flour for the wheat flour.)

The good news is that this is one of the best tasting rye breads I've ever had. It is moderately sour with a pronounced flavor of rye and  caraway. The crust was chewy, except the "ear" which was crunchy. The crumb was rather dense in appearance but with a lovely mouth feel and chew.

The bad news is that I think I must have under-proofed the loaves. I let them expand by about 50% before baking them, and I got explosive oven spring and bloom. The loaf I do not show had the biggest side-blowout I've ever had (and I have had pretty extensive blowouts with my ryes before).

I expect I'll be making this one again. Maybe I'll let it double before baking next time, though.

David

David,

I made the whole rye version as well because I don't have any other rye. Maybe you underproofed it because you are so used to baking dark rye breads that are more fragile and don't rise as much and this one has more rising capacity. Or maybe you didn't cut deeply enough. Regardless, that is just fine-tuning. Otherwise it looks perfectly scrumptious! The color is beautiful and the crumb looks perfect.

I'm eating my Hamelman light rye (with raisins and walnuts) for breakfast. Yum!

Jane 

Of late, I have actually been making lighter rye breads than this. My hypothesis is that the difference in oven spring came from the high-gluten flour, but I don't have any prior experience with this in rye breads. SteveB's version also had tremendous bloom, but I think he baked his with a cover for steaming. I didn't. I hope he comments on this issue. Eric had much less bloom, using the same recipe and procedure as Steve. I did use a hotter oven, which could also increase oven spring and bloom. I'm just not sure.
David

David, nice looking loaf!  A good steaming does have the effect of delaying the setting of the crust.  As a result, one typically gets a more pronounced oven spring and, more importantly to me, results in a lighter, more open crumb.  The crumb shown in the banner of my blog is of the 40% Rye. 

SteveB

www.breadcetera.com

The crumb on your rye is definitely more open than this one. I may use medium rye, as you did, next time I bake this bread. I've been using Hamelman's two-stage steaming technique recently (humidifying the oven before loading and steaming with loading) and am happier with it than the other methods I've tried.
David

sometimes it is nice to have a slightly closer textured bread.  Huge holey rustic is lovely, but a bit of difference is also good! 

 Lynne

 

 

I think the texture is about what it is supposed to be for this bread. It has a wonderful rye flavor. It is less sour this morning, toasted, than when first cooled.
David

Very creative slashing David. The crumb looks great and more open than my second try at this. I think most Americans are unfamiliar with the more dense German breads and the crumb. A little lighter crumb such as what SteveB is making is really my goal.

I sent a loaf of this bread to my older cousin in the mail last week when I heard them say Rye is their favorit. He called to tell me the bread instantly reminded him of Grandma Hanner's rye bread 50 years ago. That's a pretty good indication the recipe has roots.

Eric 

"Very creative slashing," eh? My beautiful herringbone slashing got bombed by the exhuberant blooming! Thanks also for your cousin's comments. Neither my mother nor my grandmother baked bread. They always had good, old world-style bakeries available. I have not traveled in Eastern Europe or Germany, so I have no direct experience of the local ryes. Anyway, what is "traditional" to me is what was traditional for my grandparents' generation, which presumably was what these breads were like in the old country in 1900 or so. I would imagine today's breads from Eastern Europe are not the same as they were then.
David

Beautiful crust color, David. Great job. Sigh, one bread to bake on my already very long list. :)

David, perhaps instead of using, medium or light rye, you may consider using the soaking technique on the whole rye?

Rudy
-----------------------------
My TFL Blog Page

Hi, Rudy. Almost all the rye in this formula is in the sour, so, unless I missed your point, I don't see the application of a soaker. I'm not going to apologize for adding to your "to bake list." This one is worth it. Anyway, I have my own too-long-list problem! Variations on this bread alone, using different combinations of flours, could keep me busy for a couple months. *sigh*
David

I suppose if there are going to be problems in the world, these would be the kind of problems to have. :)

Sorry about my soaking suggestion, I should have checked the recipe before posting.

Rudy
-----------------------------
My TFL Blog Page

David,

I really like the rugged look of that crust, and the crumb is very nice and open for a rye...and the pain de campagne on the other thread is lovely.  Great job on both breads.

Howard

You are kind. The rye does have a "rustic" look about it. Anyway, it is delicious. The pain de campagne is a continuing story, as you will see. I'm having fun with it.
David
Please ignore. The photobucket URL disappears before I send the posting!