Flour Power

size—I like to use a 1-quart deli container), combine 100g whole-grain rye flour with 90g of warm water.

LIGHT RYE FLOUR is flour made from the center of the endosperm. It is sifted so that the bulky bran is removed, helping the flour rise nicely when fermented. Light rye flour has a creamier, milder flavor than rye flour milled from the entire berry, and it creates a silky crumb when baked. Try the Finnish Rye Ring

MEDIUM RYE FLOUR has a higher percentage of bran in the flour than light rye, but it is still a sifted flour, meaning the largest flecks have been removed. It’s more flavorful and active than light rye, but it still rises easily when fermented properly. Try the Mountain Rye

Breads that have a combination of rye and wheat flours may need to be kneaded to develop the gluten in the wheat flour—if so, the recipe will specify. Consult the Methods for Bread Making chapter (starting on this page) for refreshers on getting the correct water temperature for your dough, sprouting berries, and toasting seeds and nuts.

PROOFING SHAPED BREAD OVERNIGHT Once the bread has passed the poke test, it can be refrigerated overnight to deepen its flavor. This accentuates the tanginess of the dough, while the cold temperatures cause the loaf to contract, making it easy to remove from the basket and score.

Today you will begin refreshing your starter, which involves removing most of the starter and “feeding” the remaining portion with rye flour and water. Discard all but 50g of the rye starter. To that 50g, add 100g rye flour and 90g water. Cover and let rest at room temp (68° to 72°F) for 24 hours.

You still need to feed your starter weekly (give it a maintenance refresh), even when it’s dormant in the fridge. This keeps your starter alive and ready to bake on the other side of its hiatus. To maintenance refresh, remove the starter from the fridge, discard all but 50g, and feed it 100g bread flour and 75g water. Cover with the lid and ferment

any bread dough made with more than 20% rye flour needs to ferment and bake in a different timeframe than dough for a wheat-based bread.

WELDING GLOVES Regular oven mitts or pot holders aren’t thick enough when handling hot cast iron, and they won’t protect your wrists and forearms from the steam when the lid is removed. I use heavy-duty Hobart welding gloves instead (which I also use when working with my wood-fired oven and grill).