I have been getting no where fast.

Lots of stuff is going on- but nothing is happening.

I’m frustrated.

In my life that means make and bake some bread.

It is satisfying.

It works.

We end up with bread.

So today was a marathon bread day.

I made sourdough rye, old country rye and peasant bread.

And I mixed them all together and made a braided loaf,

and a marbled loaf…………………………………

and a couple of plain sourdough rye loaves.

Sourdough Rye is my favorite sourdough bread.

You add the deep flavor of blackstrap molasses the tangy sourdough and the slightly sharp rye and caraway seed flavors and you have a masterpiece!

Here’s the recipe-

1 cup sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups bread flour

3 cups rye flour

2 tsp salt

1/4 cup molasses

2 TBS butter,melted

1 cup very warm water

2 TBS yeast

Add yeast to water and proof for about 3 minutes ( you may add 1/2 tsp sugar to get everything moving faster).  Mix together flours and salt in large bowl.  Make a well in the center of the flour and put the starter, butter, molasses and proofed yeast together and mix the flour into the center, drawing it down from the sides.

You may need a little more warm water or a little more bread flour depending on the way your dough starts to set up together- if it looks dry and like there is too much flour- add water.  If it looks too sticky and the flour is all incorporated – add flour.  The dough should be tacky to the touch, but not sticky. 

Flour your counter and dump dough onto flat surface.  Knead for at least 10 minutes and then put dough- gathered together into a ball- into an oiled bowl and cover.  Allow to raise for about an hour and a half and then shape into desired loaf.

 

To braid -roll three different doughs to the same length and thickness and attach at one end then braid them together and pinch at the other end.

To make a swirl or marble loaf-

Roll out three different doughs and layer them on top of each other and then roll them tightly together, pinch ends and put into a loaf pan and let raise for about 45 minutes, then bake in 375 degree oven until brown , about 40 minutes.