Ingredients 

500g Light Rye Flour

150g Active Sourdough Starter Click to See Activation Method

400g Water 

10g Salt

Method

(Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbling before making the dough.)

• Start by mixing all of the ingredients together, except the salt, until no dry bits remain. The dough will feel thick and very sticky—this is completely normal. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, add the salt. I like to use a bench scraper to fold the salt through the dough. Leave the dough to bulk ferment for 3–4 hours. You won’t see a dramatic rise like you would with wheat dough; instead, look for slight puffing and a few tiny cracks forming on the surface.

• Once bulk fermentation is complete, generously dust your bench with rye flour. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl it will be very sticky, so it helps to wet your hands to handle it more easily. Shape the dough into a round boule, then place it seam-side up into a well floured banneton. Let the dough proof in the banneton for a final 45–60 minutes.

• When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 250°C and place your Dutch oven inside to heat up.

• Carefully turn the dough out into the hot Dutch oven. Bake for 15 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for a further 40–50 minutes, until the loaf is deeply browned and cooked through.

• Allow the bread to cool completely and rest for 12–24 hours before slicing so the rye crumb can properly set.

Slice and enjoy your bread. Don’t be surprised if it’s quite dense when you cut into it this loaf is naturally heavier than a typical sourdough.

Happy Baking & Enjoy!