Phase 1: Mix 3 TB rye flour with 1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice and allow the mixture to rest at room temperature, covered loosely by plastic wrap for 24-48 hours. There may be little sign of fermentation activity during the first 24 hours. Bubbles may start to appear in 48 hours. Whether there is bubble or not, proceed to phase 2 after 48 hours.
Day 1, 11:13pm, 3 TB rye flour mixed with 3-4 TB unsweetened pineapple juice from can:
Day 1, 11:16pm, mixture allowed to rest in room temperature on stove top:
Day 2, 4:12pm, mixture undisturbed:
Day 2, 4:12pm, mixture being stirred:
Day 2, 4:13pm, mixture after stirred and allowed to rest again:
Day 2, 11:03pm, mixture after second time of stirring in the day:
Day 3, 9:23am, mixture after another night:
Phase 2: Add roughly 2 TB whole rye flour and 2 TB unsweetened pineapple juice to the sponge from phase 1. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours. Significant signs of fermentation should occur, at which point, proceed to phase 3.
Day 3, 10:09am, phase 2, to add 2 TB rye flour and 2 TB unsweetened pineapple juice:
Day 3, 10:11am, stirred to form a new sponge:
Day 3, 10:13am, zoom on the new sponge's texture:
Day 4, 8:04am, sponge has been left overnight and is showing some sign of expansion in volume:
Day 4, 8:05am, sponge stirred and shrunk after the bubbles are destroyed by the stirring:
Phase 3: Add 5 TB whole rye flour and 3 TB water to the sponge. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours. Sponge should become very bubbly and expanded. Once this occurs, proceed to phase 4.
Day 4, 8:28am, phase 3, 5 TB rye flour and 3 TB water added to sponge and mixed:
Day 4, 8:28am, details of sponge after mixing:
Day 4, 2:28pm, sponge expanded after 6 hours:
Day 4, 2:29pm, bubbles in sponge:
Day 4, 2:30pm, sponge stirred thoroughly:
Phase 4: Discard half the sponge of phase 3. Then add 7 TB whole rye flour and 3 TB water to the remaining half of the sponge. Allow to rest in room temperature for 24 hours. Aerate 2-3 times.
Day 4, 14:36pm, sponge separated into 2 halves:
Day 4, 2:42pm, 7 TB rye flour and 3 TB water added to half the sponge:
Day 4, 3:14pm, sponge turned into a dough ball!
Day 4, 3:14pm, dough ball's shape and height:
Day 4, 6:58pm, dough showing a little growth:
Day 4, 10:00pm, dough after 5 hours:
Day 4, 10:04pm, dough being pulled apart to aerate, dough giving a distinctive smell of fermentation, not sour, but with some mild smell of pineapple juice:
Day 4, 20:05pm, dough reshaped into a tight ball:
Day 5, 9:23am, overnight fermentation rendering a dough of loose texture:
Day 5, 11:22am, dough height:
Day 5, 11:22am, dough with a distinctive alcoholic smell with stirred:
Day 5, 11:27am, dough loosened to aerate:
There is no significant growth in the starter throughout the whole day. But after aerating the starter, it has started to smell fresher and better. It feels soft and loosely crumbly when stirred with a fork. However, when I stir it, occasionally, there is a faint epoch of odor that reminds me of mold. I have no idea if that's normal. The taste of the starter is shocking. It is sharp and very sour. At this stage, I realize that the starter is probably to dry. Rye flour needs more water to hydrate.
Day 5, 9:43pm, starter remaining the same in volume, but with significantly fresher smell:
Day 5, 9:50pm, starter stirred, and zoomed in look:
After this phase, I decide not to continue making the mother starter, in case the mixture has too many impure cells. So I proceed to make a dough for rye bread. Here are what I add to make the dough:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Bob's Red mill rye flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 TB water
- 1 TB sugar
- 1+1/2 tp salt
- 1 TB olive oil
Day 5, 9:58pm, mixing flour, water, sugar and salt into starter to form a rye dough:
Day 5, 10:26pm, oil added to dough:
Day 5, 10:28pm, final dough with a very rich and complex flavor:
Day 5, 10:31pm, final dough to rest on counter top for an hour, then chilled overnight:
Day 6, 8:39am, dough has significantly grown after overnight chilling in the fridge:
Day 6, 10:12am, dough warmed 1+1/2 hour:
Day 6, 10:20am, dough transferred to a small loaf pan, showing top, height and side:
Day 6, 10:28am, dough baked at 350F for 8 minutes uncovered:
Day 6, 10:45am, loaf baked 25 minutes uncovered:
Day 6, 10:50am, loaf baked 30 minutes uncovered:
Day 6, 10:50am, loaf's top, height:
Day 6, 11:11am: loaf baked 50 minutes, last 20 minutes covered; loaf's strength in holding the thermometer:
Day 6, 11:12am: loaf's temperature:
Day 6, 11:12am, thermometer coming out almost clean:
Day 6, 11:14am, loaf's top in pan:
Day 6, 11:12am, loaf's height:
Day 6, 11:14am, loaf being stuck at the bottom:
Day 6, 11:17am, loaf's bottom:
Day 6, 11:17am, loaf's side:
Day 6, 11:17am, loaf's heel:
Day 6, 11:18am, loaf's corner:
Day 6, 11:18am, loaf's top and side:
Day 6, 12:09pm, loaf sliced:
Day 6, 12:09pm, a heel slice:
Day 6, 12:10pm, interior:
Day 6, 12:11pm, soft crumb and clean knife:
Day 6, 12:14pm, tastes good with bologna and cream cheese:
Day 6, 3:57pm, comparison between the sourdough 100% rye bread (left top) with the rye quick bread (the slice below the sourdough and all the slices on the right) that uses baking powder, baking soda, and wheat (my 61th loaf):
Observations:
1. Wow! This is by far the first rye dough that gives me such an impressive oven spring! Sourdough is really different.
2. I do not need to cover the loaf in the oven until the last 20 minutes. The hydration level in the loaf keeps the dough moist. It allows very good flavor and aroma to develop during the baking. After finishing the baking, I detach the loaf from the pan with a spatula. Then I put the loaf back into the pan and return it to the oven without heat on. The loaf does not completely dry off. It develops a soft and tender texture in the warmth. It is very flavorful when eaten warm like this.
3. The taste of this loaf is really complex.
4. I compare the sourdough 100% rye bread with the rye quick bread. The sourdough has a deeper color. It also has significantly larger holes and softer texture (not as easily fall apart).
For some unknown reason, my digestive system does not respond very comfortably to this sourdough rye bread. I do not know if it's because of the acidity or other chemicals generated by fermentation. I have some bowel problem (gas etc) the day after.
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