I was looking for a good rye bread yesterday.

I had depleted my freezer supply.

Run out of the last baking I did in Chincoteague.

And I just can’t buy the insipid loaves they sell at the stores locally.

I went to the bulk food store to buy some flour,

and all they had was a very fine white rye flour.

Sad. SAD. downright sad.

So I bought some rye berries-

got out my grinding apparatus-

And ground my own dark rye flour.

The little red hen hasn’t got anything on me!

It took a little while because my grinder is

almost as old as I am.  And it is done by

hand- and I didn’t have it clamped down on

my husband’s new table.

But I ended up with almost a cup and figured

that would give me enough fiber and texture

in my loaves.

Then I fed up my sourdough and added 1 cup of

the white rye and 3/4 cup warm water and let that

prove overnight.

At the same time, I followed Joanna’s advice,

and poured hot water on another cup of white

rye and stirred until smooth and then left with

the sourdough starter poolish/sponge to prove

for at least 8 hours (overnight).

This morning I added the rough ground flour, 2 tsp.

sea salt, 2 TBS butter, and 1/4 cup sorghum molasses

and enough water and high gluten wheat flour to

give me enough dough for 2 loaves of bread.

I put the dough in a warm place to raise for an hour,

then shaped it into two loaves- one for the banneton

and one in a loaf tin, covered them loosely and then

let them raise another hour and a half.

I added some golden flaxseed for flavour and

beauty and made the mistake of cutting a vent

in the top.  I think it destroyed the integrity of

the gluten cloak and the loaf got sloppy in shape.

Then I baked them a 375 F for about 45 minutes.

Although I’m not entering them into a beauty

contest.

And I sliced it for a crumb shot before it cooled

completely.

All in all, I am quite happy!

I love rye bread with golden flax seed.

My new favorite bread!

This is my new favorite bread!

I made it today, using a sourdough

sponge and after several hours of

raising, added white and dark rye flour,

And 2 Tbs. of soft butter, and 2 Tbs.

of molasses and 2 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbs.

rapidrise yeast, and 1 cup HOT water.

I mixed it up and then added 1 1/2 cups

high gluten hard wheat bread flour and kneaded it for about 10 minutes.  It was a rather sticky

dough, so I oiled the bowl and let it raise for about 2 1/2 hours and then cut the dough in half

and added some golden flax seed that I had soaking in hot water.  The golden flax became soft,

and the water almost gelatinous.  I love the caraway flavor with rye so I added a Tbs of caraway

seeds as well, shaped each into a loaf and put into a greased loaf pan for a final raise.

It was ready in about an hour and a half and I baked them at 350 degrees F.   The loaves were

high and firm- and the flavor – PERFECT!

I had a little visitor for dinner tonight- Aiden asked for a second piece of bread after he had

finished his meal.

This is His new favorite bread, too, I think!

Another view!