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Baking worksheet

Rye with scald and red malt

The sheet checks a rye-wheat 80/20 with a scald and red malt. Three refreshments bring the starter to peak, in the evening the scald and opara are built, in the morning comes the mix and bake, with the slice after 12+ hours.

Full recipe
When to bake~2d to bake

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Ingredients

Change any amount — the rest rescale by the bread’s formula.

Component Grams Baker's %
Whole-grain rye flour g 80%
Strong white bread flour g 16.6%
Whole-grain wheat flour g 3.4%
Water g 76%
Salt g 1.8%
Red fermented rye malt g 3%
Ground coriander g 0.8%

Technical summary

Formula
rye flour 400 g, wheat 100 g, water 380 g (76%), salt 9 g, red malt 15 g, coriander 4 g; scald 100 g rye + 150 g boiling water + 15 g malt; opara 100 g rye + 100 g water + 20 g active starter
Starter
3 refreshments: 5+10+10 → 5+15+15 → 5+20+20; 15–20 g reserve, 20 g active starter into the opara
Scald
100 g rye flour + 15 g malt + 150 g boiling water; steep covered for 1 hour, then cool to 35–40 °C before mixing
Opara
100 g rye flour + 100 g water + 20 g active starter; 10–14 hours at 24–27 °C to dome and a lactic smell
Mix
opara + scald + salt + coriander + water + rye and wheat flour; K-beater on Min 1–2 minutes to uniform
Final proof
24–28 °C until rise of 1.5–1.8 times; reference 1.5–2.5 hours
Bake
250 °C 10 min with steam → 200 °C 30 min → 170 °C 30 min to 98–99 °C internal
Slice
no earlier than 12 hours after baking, better 24 hours

Levain build

Starter for the levain
20 g ripe starter
Build
20 g + 100 g flour + 100 g water → levain 220 g
Refreshes
5+10+10 (1:2:2) → 5+15+15 (1:3:3) → 5+20+20 (1:4:4, small)
Reserve to fridge
18 g
Ready when
10–14 h at 24–27 °C until domed

R1-C4: working sheet · scald + malt

Enter the date and time of the first refreshment; the sheet will recalculate refreshments, scald, opara, mix, bake, and slice.

Parallel steps: this step runs alongside the previous one. Watch both timers.

  1. Timer to next step: 8 h–12 h

    Take the rye starter out of the fridge. Mix 5 g of starter, 10 g of water, and 10 g of whole-grain rye flour. Base ratio for long cold storage: 1:2:2. Hold at room temperature, 22–24 °C; in a cool kitchen aim at the upper end of the window.

    Step ingredients

    Starter
    5 g of rye starter
    Water
    10 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    10 g
    Yield
    about 25 g
    Target
    The starter has woken up: there is rise and a clean smell with no sharp vinegar note.
    Check
    Record the exact time of the first refreshment for the journal export.
    Evidence
    Side photo of the jar, time, temperature next to the jar.
  2. Timer to next step: 10 h–14 h Base: 23 °C. Baseline is 23 °C. Dough readiness still decides the bake.

    When the first stage has given confident rise, bubbles, and a clean smell, do the second refreshment at 1:3:3. If the starter is not ready, wait for a clear peak.

    Step ingredients

    Starter from refreshment 1
    5 g
    Water
    15 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    15 g
    Yield
    about 35 g
    Target
    Confident rise after the first refreshment.
    Check
    Do not move on by the clock alone if the starter clearly has not come back to life.
    Evidence
    Time, temperature.
  3. Timer to next step: 8 h–12 h Base: 23 °C. Baseline is 23 °C. Dough readiness still decides the bake.

    When refreshment 2 has given a confident peak, do the small final refreshment at 5+20+20. If refreshment 2 has shifted, shift this step too.

    Step ingredients

    Starter from refreshment 2
    5 g
    Water
    20 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    20 g
    Yield
    about 45 g: 15–20 g reserve into the fridge, 20 g active starter into the opara, 5–10 g technical margin for jar losses
    Target
    Active rye starter at or near peak without a large excess jar.
    Check
    Before building the opara, first transfer 15–20 g of active starter into a clean jar and put it in the fridge; weigh out exactly 20 g for the opara.
    Evidence
    Time of peak, temperature.
  4. Timer to next step: 1 h in parallel with the previous step — watch both

    In a thermos or a jar with a tight lid, combine 100 g of whole-grain rye flour and 15 g of red fermented rye malt. Pour in 150 g of boiling water, stir quickly with no dry lumps, close tightly, and hold for 1 hour. Then simply leave it overnight until the morning mix — no reheating needed: in a 22–23 °C kitchen the scald cools by morning (barely warm in a thermos, room temperature in a jar), and the warm mixing water compensates for that.

    Step ingredients

    Whole-grain rye flour
    100 g
    Red fermented rye malt
    15 g
    Water
    150 g (boiling)
    Yield
    about 265 g of thick dark scald
    Target
    Dark uniform sweet scald with no dry lumps; it may be at room temperature by mixing time — the warm mixing water accounts for that.
    Check
    The scald must not be hotter than 45 °C at mix time, otherwise opara acidity will suffer; a cold (room-temperature) scald is fine — the warm mixing water brings the dough up to temperature.
    Evidence
    Scald temperature, start/end times.
  5. Parallel with previous step
    Timer to next step: 10 h–14 h in parallel with the previous step — watch both

    Before building the opara, set aside 15–20 g of mature starter into a clean jar and put it in the fridge — this is the reserve mother starter for future bakes. 20 g from the small active jar goes into the opara. Mix 100 g of whole-grain rye flour, 100 g of water, and 20 g of active starter from small refreshment 3. Cover and hold at room temperature until domed with a lactic smell; in a 22–23 °C kitchen that is closer to 13–14 hours — almost the whole overnight window.

    Step ingredients

    Whole-grain rye flour
    100 g
    Water
    100 g
    Active rye starter (from refreshment 3)
    20 g from the remainder after the reserve
    Yield
    about 220 g of sourdough opara
    Target
    Opara has risen 1.8–2.5 times, bubbles throughout the mass, a sour rye smell.
    Check
    Readiness is decided by the dome and a rise of 1.8–2.5 times, not by the clock: pulling it on a timer before the dome (say at 10 hours in a 22–23 °C kitchen) is usually early — the opara needs almost the whole 12–14 hour window. Pulling early costs rise. If the opara clearly over-matured and dropped sharply, you can still use it, but the crumb will be more sour.
    Evidence
    Time, temperature.
  6. Timer to next step: 5 min

    Into the Kenwood bowl put all of the scald (about 265 g) and 130 g of water, and stir. Choose the water temperature (see the table “Mixing water temperature” in the body of the recipe): warm water at 45–50 °C brings the dough to about 27 °C and keeps the proof within 2–3 hours — the plan is built around it; room-temperature water gives a dough of about 23 °C and a proof of 3–4 hours. Warm water goes in with the scald first — the mixture becomes barely warm and safe for the opara. Add all of the opara (about 220 g), 9 g of salt, and 4 g of coriander, stir to uniform, then add 200 g of whole-grain rye flour, 83 g of strong white bread flour and 17 g of whole-grain wheat flour. Mix with the K-beater on Min for 1–2 minutes to full uniform.

    Step ingredients

    Sourdough opara
    all, about 220 g
    Scald
    all, about 265 g, cooled to 35–40 °C
    Water
    130 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    200 g
    Strong white bread flour
    83 g
    Whole-grain wheat flour
    17 g
    Salt
    9 g
    Ground coriander
    4 g
    Dough yield
    about 920 g
    Target
    Thick sticky porridge with no dry spots; dough temperature after mixing depends on the water chosen — about 27 °C with warm water (45–50 °C) or about 23 °C with room-temperature water (with components at 22–23 °C).
    Check
    Do not look for a gluten window. Never pour water hotter than 50 °C; stir warm water into the scald first, and only then add the opara. With room-temperature water the dough comes out at about 23 °C — that is a working mode, but then lead the proof by rise rather than by the clock (see the next step). If the scald is somehow still hot (above 45 °C), cool it before mixing, otherwise opara acidity will drop.
    Evidence
    Dough temperature after mixing, scald temperature at mix time, texture photo.
  7. Timer to next step: 5 min

    Grease the pan, transfer the dough, and level the top with a wet spoon or wet fingers.

    Step ingredients

    Dough after mixing
    all of it, about 920 g
    Pan grease
    thin layer, not part of the formula
    Target
    Even surface, clear starting height.
    Check
    Mark dough height in the pan and the dough mass.
    Evidence
    Side photo, height mark, mass.
  8. Timer to next step: 1 h 30 min–2 h 30 min

    Proof at room temperature, 22–23 °C, until a rise of 1.5–1.8 times. With warm mixing water (dough about 27 °C) that is 2–3 hours; with room-temperature water (dough about 23 °C) — 3–4 hours. The sugar of the scald speeds fermentation up, a cool kitchen slows it down.

    Step ingredients

    Dough in the pan
    all of it, about 920 g
    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Top slightly domes, small cracks or burst bubbles appear.
    Check
    Mark the starting height of the dough in the pan right after loading — then a rise of 1.5–1.8 times is visible objectively rather than by eye. Track state, not only time; readiness is a rise of 1.5–1.8 times plus small cracks on the surface, not a timer. The plan shows times for warm water (2–3 hours); with room-temperature water the proof takes 3–4 hours, and the whole bake shifts about an hour later. Towards the end of the proof turn the oven on to 250 °C in advance so it is fully heated by loading time.
    Evidence
    Kitchen temperature, height.
  9. Timer to next step: 10 min

    Place the pan on the rack, apply the oven's built-in steam at the start. Bake 10 minutes at 250 °C.

    Step ingredients

    Dough after the proof
    all of it in the pan
    Steam
    water for steam; not part of the dough formula
    Target
    Starting heat and moist surface.
    Check
    When the timer rings: remove steam and drop to 200 °C.
    Evidence
    Timer, oven mode.
  10. Timer to next step: 30 min

    Bake 30 minutes at 200 °C without additional steam.

    Step ingredients

    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Main heat-through of the loaf and setting the shape.
    Check
    When the timer rings: drop to 170 °C. If the surface darkens fast from the malt, cover with foil.
    Evidence
    Timer, crust state.
  11. Timer to next step: 30 min

    After the switch to 170 °C, set the timer for 30 minutes. At the end of the timer, do the first probe check.

    Step ingredients

    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Understand how much is left until 98 °C in the center of the crumb.
    Check
    If already 98 °C — move to removal. If less — add 5-minute increments.
    Evidence
    Probe and timer.
  12. Timer to next step: 5 min

    If after the first check it is below 98 °C inside, set the timer for 5 minutes and check again. Repeat to 98–99 °C.

    Step ingredients

    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    98–99 °C in the center of the crumb.
    Check
    If the top darkens faster than doneness, cover with foil.
    Evidence
    Probe, timer.
  13. Timer to next step: 12 h–24 h

    Cool on a rack for 2–3 hours uncovered, then wrap in cotton/linen. Slice no earlier than 12 hours, better 24 hours.

    Step ingredients

    Finished bread
    the whole loaf after rest
    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Crumb moist, dense but not gummy; the knife does not stick; the sweetness of the scald and the acidity of the opara are visible.
    Check
    Describe sweetness, acidity, malt aroma, coriander, density. If an early slice is gummy, slice again after 24 hours.
    Evidence
    Tasting note.

Journal export

After the bake, copy this text and send it to me so I can update the journal and conclusions.