For the Soaked Cracked rye and seeds

• 135g Water
• 50g cracked rye
• 50g other seeds / grains of your choice (sunflower, Chia etc)

For the Dough -  Yield 1kg

• 260g Liquid Rye Levain (starter, mature)
• 175g Wholemeal Rye Flour
• 115g Bread Flour
• 90g Water
• 20g Molasses
• 12g Fine Salt
• 4g Ground Fennel or Caraway
• 4g Instant Dry Yeast (optional)

 Prep :

Soaked Cracked Rye/Grains:

• Bring the water to a boil & pour over the cracked rye, soak in an airtight container at room temp for 8 – 10hrs.

Mix by machine:

• Combine all ingredients in the mixer’s bowl & mix on medium speed with a paddle attachment (not a dough hook)  until you get a firm paste. Then transfer to an oiled bowl and cover well with a food cover, plastic wrap or lid.

Mix by Hand Method:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mixt to a firm homogeneous past.
• Transfer to a lightly oiled tub or bowl and vocer wlll with a lid or plastic wrap
• Then continue to follow steps as below

Bulk Ferment:

• 1 hour; no folds and keep it covered throughout bulk fermentation.
• Shape loaf with wet hands push dough into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with wet fingers, that way the dough doesn’t stick to your hands. Then dust with the wholemeal rye flour.
• Final proof for 14hrs @ 13deg C or 12 -16hrs @ 4degC (in the fridge).
• When the dough is proofed its surface will be cracked, looking like a dry river bed, dust with flour on the surface  which will enhance this effect.
• Preheat oven to @ 260degC, with an empty baking tray at the bottom of your oven. Once oven is up to tempreture load your proofed loaf and add water to the preheated pan – BE CAREFUL STEAM CAN BURN YOU.
• Lower the temperature to 230DegC and bake for 50 – 65min until the internal tempreture is 100deg C
• Open the oven after the 1^st 15min baking and remove excess water in the pan.

For a faster fermenting bread combine  6g instant dry yeast with the other ingredients while mixing.  Proof at 27degC for 1.5hrs or 21decC for 2-2.5hrs.  This may appear to be a high amount of yeast but that is in relation to the small amount of flour.  Because this bread is more inclusions than that of dough,  it needs this amount of yeast to ferment and leaven the dough in it entirety.

If you forget to soak the rye berries early enough you can pressure cook the berries for 40min in the same amount of water.  Allow th berries and water to cool to 29degC before mixing them into the dough.

Adapted from Modernest Bread