EF Recipes

The Milk Sour:
1 1/2 cups  goats milk or high fat buttermilk
1     cup  rye flour
The Rye Sponge:
2 1/2 teaspoons  active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups  warm spring water — (110-115 F)
All of the milk sour
2     cups  unbleached bread flour — not all purpose flour
The Dough:
All the rye sponge
1     tablespoon  salt
2     teaspoons  molasses or honey
3/4   cup  warm spring water
6     tablespoons  caraway seeds ( 2T ground & 4T whole)
balance unbleached bread flour
The Glaze:
1     egg — whisked with
2     tablespoons  milk

I use raw goats milk because I leave the rye sour out on the counter overnight to develop a slight sour taste. Pasteurized milk will spoil but not truly sour as raw will do. If you want a very sour taste then leave the rye sour out on the counter for a couple of days.

To make the rye sour combine the milk with the rye flour and mix very well. Cover and leave out on the counter as long as you desire. See explanation above. I have skipped a waiting period here and combined the milk sour with the rye sponge ingredients at the same time with satisfactory results.

To make the rye sponge proof the yeast in the warm water. When it is thoroughly dissolved pour it and the milk sour into a large bowl. Mix in the flour and stir well. Let the sponge sit, covered with a damp cloth, at room temp. for 3 1/2 to 4 hours- until it has risen well and dropped.

To make the dough- dissolve the molasses or honey in the warm water in a separate container. Stir down the rye sponge and sprinkle the salt over it. Add the sweetener and caraway and mix until well combined. Now start adding the flour until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is no longer sticky. Transfer the dough to the work table and knead for about ten minutes, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface. Cover the dough with a damp cloth to prevent drying and let it rise for 50-60 minutes. Punch the dough down and divide into two loaves or, if you want a very large loaf, leave it in one piece. Let dough sit on the worktable, covered, for ten minutes. This step will relax the dough and make it more pliable for forming. To form the loaves flatten the dough with a rolling pin then fold it over itself away from you. Square the edges by pushing the ends an inch or so toward the middle. Then roll into a tight log, sealing at each turn with the heel of your hand. Square the ends off and place each loaf, seam side down, on rimless baking sheet which has been lightly oiled and sprinkled with polenta (coarse cornmeal). Pre-heat oven to 415F.

Let loaves proof for 30-40 minutes. When the dough fails to spring back quickly when touched lightly with the fingertip it is ready. To attain a nice oven spring it is better to bake it a few minutes early than late. When loaves are ready brush the glaze on the tops and sides of each loaf and then slash 6-7 times across with a razor blade, starting from half way up one side and ending half way down the other. Sprinkle the top lightly with polenta.

Prior to placing the loaves in the oven spray water into the oven with a spray bottle, avoiding the oven light which may shatter. Bake the loaves for about 35 minutes, spraying the oven again after the first 5 minutes and again after ten minutes. This will give the loaves a crisp crust. Unless your oven has evenly distributed heat you may want to turn the baking sheet around half way through the baking to assure even browning. The loaves are done when they sound hollow when thumped on the bottom or when they have an internal temperature of 190F or above.