'MISCHBROT' GERMAN RYE BREAD

A visit to a German restaurant got me interested in their house bread called “Mischbrot”. I instantly fell in love with the soft crumb. Bread was so flavourful with just Butter. After some research and experiment, made this yummy bread which calls for part rye flour and part bread flour. Tastes divine with Lemon curd too!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Levain:

• 60 gms white bread flour starter

• 120 gms Rye flour

• 120 ml water

To Make the loaf:

• All of the levain

• 130 gms bread flour

• 130 gms Rye flour

• 1 tsp Sea salt

• 1 tbsp Molasses

• 120 ml water

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Mix the Levain ingredients together in a stand mixer bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and leave it in a warm place to rise. I live in Singapore, it’s warm here, it took 5-6 hours for it to triple in volume and I could see bubbles form

• After the rise, add in rest of the the loaf ingredients to it. Knead it on low speed for a min or two till it all comes together. It will be soft and a bit sticky

• Remove it on a dusted bread flour surface and shape the dough into a boule or Batard shape depending on the bread basket you have

• Dust a bread basket/large bowl lined with a clean cloth with rice flour or corn flour, put the shaped dough in the basket/lined bowl. Cover with shower cap and leave to rise for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours. At this stage you can leave it in the fridge to retard overnight or continue baking

• When ready to bake, Pre heat the oven to 240 C. Dust a baking sheet with cornflour, put the loaf on top and score a couple of lines or a design with a lame. Put a small baking dish in the bottom of the oven and boil some water.

• When the oven has heated, put the loaf in on the baking sheet in the middle. Add some boiling water to the baking dish to create steam then close and bake for around 35 mins until it is a nice even brown and is hollow sounding when you tap.

• Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow it to cool before slicing.