Marbled Rye Bread

Preparation

1. Step 1

   To make the light rye, stir together the flours, salt, yeast, and caraway seeds in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the molasses, shortening, and 1 1/4 cups water. Mix until the dough gathers all the loose flour and forms a ball (or mix for about 1 minute on low speed with the paddle attachment), adding the additional 2 tablespoons of water only if needed. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin to knead (or mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook). Knead for 4 to 6 minutes (or 4 minutes by machine), adding sprinkles of flour, if necessary. The dough should feel supple and pliable, a little tacky but not sticky. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

   Step 2

   To make the dark rye, stir together the flours, salt, yeast, and caraway seeds in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the molasses, shortening, 1 1/4 cups water, and liquid caramel coloring. Mix until the dough gathers all the loose flour and forms a ball (or mix for about 1 minute on low speed with the paddle attachment), adding the additional 2 tablespoons of water only if needed. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin to knead (or mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook). Knead for 4 to 6 minutes (or 4 minutes by machine), adding sprinkles of flour, if necessary. The dough should feel supple and pliable, a little tacky but not sticky. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

   Step 3

   Ferment both doughs at room temperature for approximately 90 minutes, or until each dough doubles in size.

   Step 4

   Turn each of the doughs onto a lightly floured counter and divide and shape them according to one of the methods shown below.

   Step 5

   Mist the loaves with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Proof at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the loaves nearly double in size. (Most ovens do not hold 2 sheet pans at once, so if you are using sheet pans, put 1 of them in the refrigerator instead of immediately proofing the dough. The dough can then be proofed and baked as much as 2 days later.)

   Step 6

   Preheat the oven to 350°F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water until frothy and brush the loaves evenly but gently with the mixture.

   Step 7

   Bake for approximately 45 minutes (the time will vary depending on the oven and whether you are baking freestanding loaves or in a large or small loaf pan). You may need to rotate the pan(s) 180 degrees after 20 minutes for even baking. The internal temperature of the bread should be 190°F, and the loaves should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.

   Step 8

   When the loaves have finished baking, remove them immediately from the pans (if using) and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before slicing or serving.

2. Shaping Marbled Rye Loaves

   Step 9

   (A) Cut each dough into 12 even-sized pieces. Separate the pieces into 2 piles, with an equal number of dark and light pieces in each. (B) Form each of the piles into a solid mass of dough and then (C) shape each into a bâtard (page 73). You can bake the loaves freestanding (recommended) or in oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans (D). For freestanding loaves, prepare 2 sheet pans by lining each pan with baking parchment. Place a shaped loaf across the length of a pan, using 1 pan for each loaf.

3. Shaping Bull’s Eye or Spiral Loaves

   Step 10

   Divide each dough into 4 even-sized pieces. Roll out each piece with a rolling pin into an oblong about 5 inches wide and 8 inches long. For spirals, take a light rye piece and lay a dark rye piece on top, then add a light rye piece, then one more dark rye piece (A). Roll this stack up into a bâtard and seal the bottom (B). Repeat with the remaining dough to make 2 loaves. Place the loaves across the width of 2 baking parchment–lined sheet pans or in 2 oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. For bull’s-eyes, roll up a dark rye piece into a bâtard about 8 inches long (C). Take a light rye piece and wrap it around the bâtard and seal the bottom. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 4 small loaves. Place the loaves on 2 baking parchment–lined sheet pans.

4. Step 11

   For braided marbled rye, divide each dough into 4 even-sized pieces. Roll out each of the pieces into strands about 10 to 12 inches in length, thicker in the middle and slightly tapered toward the ends. Braid 2 light and 2 dark pieces together using the 4-braid method. Place the loaves widthwise on 2 baking parchment–lined sheet pans or in 2 greased 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.

5. BREAD PROFILE

   Step 12

   Enriched, standard dough; direct method; commercial yeast

6. DAYS TO MAKE: 1

   Step 13

   10 to 15 minutes mixing; 3 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 45 to 60 minutes baking

7. COMMENTARY

   Step 14

   The most important principle when combining two or more bread doughs into one loaf is that they must have a similar texture and rising time. This is to ensure that the texture of each color is the same and that each dough bakes in the same time frame.

8. Step 15

   Bakers generally use clear flour when making rye bread (see page 30). This formula works fine with regular bread flour or highgluten flour, but by all means use clear flour if you have access to it.

9. Step 16

   White rye flour is milled rye flour that has been sifted twice to remove the bran and germ. However, rye flour, even when sifted, retains an off-white color that distinguishes it from flour milled from wheat berries. There is another version of rye flour called dark rye, milled from the outer endosperm of the rye berry and thus coarser and full of pigments. Another type is called pumpernickel rye, which is whole rye berries, coarsely milled. There is also a grade called rye meal, which is even more coarsely milled. Dark rye is useful in some breads, especially German-style rye, but it does tend to make a much heavier loaf, not appropriate for the marbled rye of this formula.

10. Step 17

    You can substitute margarine, vegetable oil, or butter for the shortening if you prefer, but shortening yields the most tender texture.

11. Step 18

    Caramel coloring is basically burnt sugar and is available in liquid form in some markets and from bakery suppliers. When making dark rye bread with caramel coloring, you may need to hold back an equal amount of water to ensure that the final textures of the light and dark doughs match. Cocoa, instant coffee, or carob powder may be substituted, but they lend a bitter flavor to the dough that some people don’t like.

12. Step 19

    Rye breads should always be mixed for a shorter time than wheat breads because the pentosan gums in the rye interfere with gluten development (rye has a different protein profile than wheat, with glutelin replacing glutenin). Once the dough gums up, no amount of additional flour will make it feel less gummy. If the gums do begin to kick in, finish mixing and proceed anyway, handling the dough with a little flour on your hands to protect against sticking.

13. BAKER’S PERCENTAGE FORMULA

    Step 20

    Marbled Rye Bread %

    Step 21

    White rye flour: 30.8%

    Step 22

    Bread flour: 69.2%

    Step 23

    Salt: 1.9%

    Step 24

    Instant yeast: .97%

    Step 25

    Caraway seeds: .87%

    Step 26

    Molasses: 3.8%

    Step 27

    Shortening: 5.1%

    Step 28

    Water (approx.): 56.4%

    Step 29

    Caramel coloring (used only in Dark Rye): 2.6%

14. Step 30

    Total: 169 to 171.6%