This easy rye sourdough is a recipe from our Head Baker Chris Holister, using our Organic Light Rye and our Organic Chopped Rye.

If you don’t have a rye sourdough starter, you can follow https://www.instagram.com/tv/CLemLgtnO5t/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== with Chris where he teaches you how to convert your starter over to a different type of flour.

You will need a 600g non-stick loaf tin. Makes one 500g loaf

Ingredients:

• 255g rye leaven (see below)
• 45g mixed seeds (sunflower, linseed, pumpkin)
• 64g chopped rye
• 255g light rye flour
• 8g sea salt
• 195g water
• olive oil, to grease

 FOR THE RYE LEAVEN

• 110g water
• 110g light rye flour
• 35g mature rye starter

Method

Make your rye leaven the day before you want to bake. Mix 110g of water with 110g rye flour and 35g of mature rye starter in a bowl, cover, and leave to rest at room temperature. The next day the leaven will be bubbling and smelling yeasty.

The night before you want to bake, weigh your seeds and cracked rye into a bowl, cover with boiling water, and leave overnight to soak.

The next day, drain the seeds and cracked rye, and combine all your ingredients, including your rye leaven, in a mixing bowl with your 195g of water. Mix gently until smooth.

Lightly grease your loaf tin with olive oil. Wet your hands with cold water – this will make the dough easier to handle. It will be quite sticky, but don’t worry, it is meant to be like this.

Shape your dough into a rough rectangle, and place it in the tin. Flatten the top with a dough scraper, and dust with flour if you would like a more decorative topping, or you can leave it plain.

Cover, and prove in a warm place free from draughts for one and a half hours.

Preheat your oven to 230°C. If your oven doesn’t have a steam function, place an oven-proof dish with some water in the base of the oven to create steam.

Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, and then carefully remove the tray of water. Bake for a further 30-40 minutes.

Rye bread takes a bit longer to bake than some other grains. When the loaf is cooked through, turn it out of the tin and leave it to cool on a wire rack. Rye bread tends to slice better the day after baking.