Sprouted Sandwich Rye Bread (2024)

4 ¾ c

sprouted wheat flour

1 ¼ c

plus 3 tablespoons sprouted rye flour

2 tsp

salt

1 5/8 tsp

yeast

1 tbsp

toasted caraway seeds or black nigella seeds

2 ½ c

water, lukewarm (95 degrees Fahrenheit)

1 ½ tbsp

molasses

⅔ c

Mother Starter

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together theflours, salt, yeast, and caraway seeds (on low speed if using a stand mixer). In aseparate bowl, combine the water, molasses, and mother starter and stir for about 20 seconds to soften the starter. Add the starter mixture to the flour mixture and mixor stir until the flour is hydrated and a coarse, sticky dough forms, about 1 minute.
2. Let the dough rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Then switch to the dough hook oruse a wet spoon or wet hands and mix for 1 to 2 minutes, on medium-low speed ifusing a stand mixer. The dough should be smooth but still slightly soft and sticky.Add a bit more flour or water if necessary to achieve this texture, but bear in mindthat the dough will firm up during the stretch and fold process.
3. Spread about 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or olive oil on a work surface. Using awet or oiled bowl scraper or rubber spatula, transfer the dough to the oiled area.Lightly oil your hands, then stretch and fold the dough, foldingit over itself four times: once each from the top, bottom, and sides. The dough willfirm up slightly but still be very soft and somewhat sticky. Cover the dough with themixing bowl and then, at intervals of 5 minutes or up to 20 minutes, perform threeadditional sequences of stretching and folding. For each stretch and fold sequence,lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking. The dough will firm up a bit more with eachstretch and fold. After the final fold it should be firm and bouncy when slapped, andonly slightly tacky.
4. Oil a large bowl and put the dough in the bowl. Mist the top of the dough withvegetable spray oil and cover with a lid or plastic wrap; if using plastic wrap, stretchit tightly over the bowl rather than laying it directly on the dough. Ferment the doughat room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours, until double in size. (This time can be shortenedby using a warm proof box set at about 90°F.)
5. Oil the work surface again. Using an oiled bowl scraper, transfer the dough tothe oiled area. For a hearth loaf or 2 freestanding loaves, prepare two bannetons ora couche or line an 18 by 13-inch sheet pan with parchmentpaper then mist with vegetable spray oil. Shape the dough into one large bouleor bâtard, or divide the dough in half and shape eachpiece into a small boule or bâtard. Put the shapedloaves in the prepared proofing vessel(s) or on the sheet pan. For pan loaves, misttwo 4½ by 8-inch loaf pans with vegetable spray oil. Divide the dough in half andshape the pieces into sandwich loaves, then put theshaped loaves in the prepared pans.
6. Mist the exposed surface of the dough with vegetable spray oil. Cover loosely withplastic wrap or put the shaped loaves in a large plastic bag. Proof for 1 to 1½ hoursat room temperature, until the dough increases in size by 1½ times. If making panloaves, the dough should dome up above the pan by 1 inch or more.
7. To bake 1 or 2 freestanding loaves, about 45 minutes before you plan to bake,prepare the oven for hearth baking with a baking stone and steam pan, then preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the dough to a flouredpeel (or keep it on the sheet pan for baking). Score the top with 3 or 4 parallelcuts, about ½ inch deep, across the top. (Rye bread is typically slicedstraight across as opposed to diagonally, but this is really the baker’s choice.) Transferthe dough to the middle shelf of the oven and, if baking hearth bread, pour about1 cup of hot water into the steam pan. Bake for 5 minutes, then lower the temperatureto 425°F. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for 15 to 20 minuteslonger, until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when thumpedon the bottom. The internal temperature should be about 195°F. Transfer to awire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
8. To bake pan loaves, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 25 minutes, thenrotate and bake for 25 to 35 minutes longer, until the crust is golden brown and thebread sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom. The internal temperature shouldbe about 190°F. Transfer the loaves from the pans to a wire rack and let coolfor at least 1 hour for before slicing and serving.