Lithuanian Baltic Rye Bread Sourdough Recipes

Steps:

• See the Photo Gallery for images of the different steps.
• Day 1 Morning: Levain and Scald
• Mix the levain ingredients in a container with space for tripling, cover, and let ferment 8-12 hours. Aim for the long end of that range if your kitchen is cold e.g. low 60s.
• Toast your sprouted rye flour in a pan on the stove for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until it reaches about 176°F. Avoid overtoasting the flour as that could introduce bitterness to the flavor. Transfer it to a bowl and add the water that's been heated to 170°F. Cover and let the scald sit 8-12 hours while the levain is maturing. I stored the scald in a Thermos but this isn't necessary.
• Day 1 Evening: Opara
• In a bowl with room for tripling, mix together the levain, scald, and 150g rye flour. Cover and let sit overnight (8-12 hours).
• Day 2 Morning: Final Dough
• Combine the warm water (105°F), honey, sugar, and salt. Stir thoroughly until dissolved. In a bowl, mix together the this liquid, the opara, and flours. A stand mixer, danish dough whisk, or spatula work well.
• Prepare a sheet of parchment paper or a well-floured peel.
• Using damp hands, shape the rye dough into a tube that is about 10" x 4". Lay it on the parchment and further smooth the surface with damp fingers.
• Cover and let the dough proof for 2-3 hours until it has expanded and has a more bumpy looking surface and a few small holes from air popping through. I used an inverted bowl as a cover to avoid plastic wrap or a cloth sticking to the dough.
• Baking (Day 2 Late Morning)
• Preheat your oven and baking stone or steel (inverted baking sheet is okay too) to 350°F for at least 20 minutes.
• Prepare the glaze in a pan on the stove by whisking the corn or potato starch into the water (cold) and setting it to simmer until it has thickened. Set it aside to apply partway through the bake.
• With wet fingertips, smooth the surface of the dough and then load it into the oven.
• Immediately turn up the oven temperature to 445°F.
• Bake at:
• 445°F for 15 minutes
• 390°F for 25 minutes
• Remove the bread from the oven, apply the glaze to the surface of the bread with a pastry brush, then return the bread to the oven and continue baking at:
• 390°F for 5-10 minutes
• When the bread is finished baking, the internal temperature should be about 208°F. This is higher than The Rye Baker's 198°F but I believe it works for the moisture content.
• Let the bread rest for 24 hours before slicing. Store in a bag, bread box, or under an inverted bowl.

Steps:

• Sourdough Version
• In a mixing bowl, mix the starter into the water. Add the molasses, all the seeds and orange zest.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flours and salt.
• Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet using a dough whisk or spoon until the flour is well incorporated. Cover with plastic and let rest for 15 minutes. After about 15 minutes, mix again for a minute or two. Again let rest for 15 minutes and mix one more time as before. Now cover the bowl with plastic and let sit at room temperature for roughly 12-14 hours.
• Instant Yeast Version
• The only difference is don't use sourdough starter and instead mix the instant yeast into the dry ingredients before combining with the wet ingredients.
• Both Versions
• After the long 12-14 hour proof, stretch and fold the dough and shape into boule or batard (round or oblong) shape for baking. (If you didn't follow that, I'm afraid you're doomed to watch the video.) Cover again with plastic and let rest 15 minutes before putting in a proofing basket for the final rise. If you don't have a proofing basket, line a bowl with a well floured kitchen towel and put the dough in there for the final rise. The final rise should last somewhere between 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Keep the dough covered with plastic to prevent it from drying out.
• Preheat your oven to 475 F a half hour before baking.
• Score the dough with a razor or sharp serrated knife and bake until the internal temp is about 200 F.
• Let cool completely before eating.