Ancient Dark Rye Bread
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This is another extraordinary honey-crust dark rye bread, one that took root in the shadow of dormant volcanoes. Born of the mineral-rich soils of France’s Auvergne region, it carries a legacy as deep and complex as its flavor. While it shares a family lineage with other dark rye sourdoughs, its soul is distinguished by a fundamental rite: the bulk fermentation. Where modern interpretations often seek a vigorous, warm rise, this ancient bread calls for a slower, colder communion. The dough is granted a prolonged, quiet gestation in the cool air, often stretching through the night. During this extended repose, the microorganisms work with a patient intensity, developing a spectrum of aromas that are incomparable—notes of damp earth, toasted grain, and a faint, resonant sweetness like distant molasses. The downside, for those who cherish a wild, rustic bloom, is that the loaf will not crack and burst open of its own volition. Its tension is too controlled, its structure too settled by the long ferment. The secret, then? Scoring.
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The ultimate dark rye sourdough: "Tourte de Seigle Auvergnate à l'Ancienne"
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- The rye flour used is categorized by extraction rates: 70, 85, 130, and 170. The higher the number, the darker and more whole grain the flour. A unique hot water technique is used to achieve the bread. During mixing, the dough has the consistency of sticky cement.
Refreshed Starter
- Take the amount of starter required for the recipe, then refresh and store the remainder for future use.
Ancient Dark Rye Bread
- The day before baking, in the stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, combine the hot water with salt. Add the flour, and mix on low speed for about 3 minutes, until it comes together.
- Add the natural starter cut into pieces and the yeast, and mix on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- The dough will be very sticky, so use wet hands and wet tools when handling or scraping it. After mixing, the dough should reach a temperature of approximately 90°F (30-32°C).
Cold Bulk Fermentation
- Wet your hands and dough scraper with water. Transfer the sticky dough in the large bowl. Smooth out the surface of the dough with a wet dough scraper. Cover and let it undergo bulk fermentation in the refrigerator at 5ºC for 12 hours.
Dividing
- Lightly flour proofing baskets with bread flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Do not degas (deflate), and divide it into 2 equal portions (1100g each).
- Lightly flour the dough, then fold it over a couple of times to form a loose round. Because the dough is fragile and tears easily, be sure to handle it gently. Only add extra flour when necessary. Use your dough scraper to lift the round from the work surface.
- Place the round seam-side down into the floured basket. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Proofing
- Because the dough undergoes a cold bulk fermentation, the subsequent proofing time is long: about 2 hours at 25°C, 3 hours at 22°C, or 5 hours at 19°C. Dark rye sourdough doesn't rise significantly; expect only a 1.5-inch (4 cm) increase. It is ready when the surface appears bubbly and starts to crack.
Preheating Oven
- About 40 minutes before baking, preheat your conventional oven to 250°C (480°F) with a pizza stone placed on a rack in the lower third. The stone must be heated to 250–260°C before flipping the bread.
Baking
- Flip the proofing basket onto the preheated pizza stone to release the bread.
- For a better oven spring, score the surface with a razor blade. To create steam, immediately spray water into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 250ºC, and then reduce the temperature to 205°C (400°F), and continue to bake for 30 minutes. The internal temp should be at around 97.5ºC. Turn off the oven, prop the door slightly ajar, and let the bread rest inside for an additional 5 minutes. Dark rye bread must be baked until very deep brown and well done.
- Finally, remove the loaf and let it cool completely on a wire rack for at least 4 hours before slicing. For the best flavor and texture, it is ideal to enjoy the rye bread the next day. Once baked and cooled, a dark rye loaf will lose about 23% of its original weight.
Storage
- Properly stored, dark rye bread will keep for up to a week (halved) when wrapped in a linen bag, parchment paper, or best plastic wrap. For longer storage, it can be sliced, portioned, and frozen for up to three months.
The Best Pairings for Dark Rye Sourdough
- Dark rye bread is superb both toasted and untoasted, perfect with salted butter, ham, prosciutto, cheeses, eggs, tapenade etc... Historically, and even now, it is used to make croutons that darken and enrich soups. Its flavor also creates a beautiful pairing with oysters and a classic mignonette (red wine vinegar and minced shallots).
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