Rye, Southern Ground

It was on Billy Carter’s (this page and this page) farm that I first noticed the pronounced difference between rye and wheat in the field. In the bakery, the difference is obvious. Whole-rye flour looks and feels distinctive, with a bluish hue and a powdery texture interspersed with larger bran flakes, compared to whole-wheat flour, which has a more uniform consistency. Rye mixes differently, absorbs more liquid, and ferments quicker. Lovely bread can be made from 100 percent rye, but this will be a denser loaf than wheat, with a tight, moist crumb. Having experienced these differences as a baker, I wasn’t much surprised to see the evidence in the field on Billy’s farm. His rye fields appeared to have more personality than the adjacent fields of wheat. Some of the rye stalks stood out, taller than the rest, whereas the wheat grew in a near uniform manner. Manifest in the field is the difference between a cross-pollinating cereal and a self-pollinating cereal. Wheat is self-pollinating, reproducing itself at close to 100 percent pure progeny, whereas rye is an outcrosser, or a cross-pollinating cereal, meaning that pollination occurs between two plants of the same species. A variety of rye is actually a population, so there literally is more personality in a field of rye than a field of wheat. This diversity also likely contributes to rye’s resilience. Rye can grow in poor soil and under adverse conditions. And because it is easy to grow, it has been an ideal crop to push forward the regional grains movement.

Rye: In the Bakery

In my mind, there is no other grain that is as well served by stone milling than rye. Industrial roller-milled rye flour is a faint shadow of its former self, its flavor having been mistaken for caraway. Freshly stone-ground rye is extraordinary, and our Southern-grown Wrens Abruzzi delivers deep and rich flavors. Although rye is considered a gluten-containing grain, it is a different kind of gluten than wheat. Whereas wheat’s gluten-forming proteins—gliadin and glutenin—provide the structure to dough, the glutenin, which contributes elasticity, is not present in rye. Instead, starch and non-starch complex carbohydrates play a significant role in forming the structure of rye breads. These complex carbohydrates, collectively called pentosans, have high water-binding capacity, which is why rye flour can absorb more water than wheat flour. The high water absorption transforms complex carbohydrates into starchlike gel, and through fermentation, a three-dimensional network of soluble proteins, starch, and pentosans enable the gas-holding capacity of rye flour. The starchlike gel performs a similar function to gluten but does not dry out like gluten and thus also contributes to the keeping quality of rye bread.

Danish Rye

Joe Bowie ◆ Columbia, South Carolina

This is an extraordinary recipe—straightforward and accessible for any level of baker. It will take a full 48 hours from start to slicing into this bread, so time this right to work for you. Building the leaven and soaking seeds right before going to sleep is a good schedule. The next morning, mix the dough and pan the bread, allowing the loaf to rise at room temperature throughout the day. Joe notes, “The amount of proof time really depends on how active your starter is (and the temperature of your home).” Joe loves this bread with salted vegan butter or cultured butter.

Also note that Joe’s formula for leaven produces 25 grams more than the dough requires. Having extra leaven is a good safety measure, and for some, this is the seed for the next bake. You can use this extra culture in Hemp Crisp Breads (this page), Mississippi Market Galettes (this page), or Cornmeal Crackers (this page).

yield: 1 (8 x 4-inch) pan loaf

leaven (8 to 12 hours)

150g water

75g starter

100g whole-rye flour

soaker (8 to 12 hours)

150g hulled pumpkin seeds

75g hulled sunflower seeds

100g cold water

dough

100g warm water (about 85°F)

200g leaven

200g whole-rye flour

1½ teaspoons sorghum syrup

10g fine sea salt

soaker (above), drained

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-quart mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 8 to 12 hours (it’s possible to let it go even longer, say, 14 hours), until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the soaker: In a container with a lid, stir together the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and cold water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours, then drain and set aside.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the flour, sorghum syrup, salt, and drained soaker and mix until fully incorporated, squeezing and mixing all the ingredients together vigorously to make a smooth, claylike dough.
Final rise: Grease an 8 x 4-inch standard loaf pan with olive oil or butter (if you’re not vegan, the butter is more commonly used in this Danish bread).
Place the dough directly in the prepared pan, using wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and proof at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf. (The final proof time depends on how active your leaven is and the temperature of your kitchen.)
Bake: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 206°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, ideally for 24 hours, before slicing. If you would like a softer crust, remove the loaf from the pan and let cool for 10 minutes, then return it to the pan and let it cool completely.

Dark Rye with Caraway, Fennel, and Cardamom

Weaver Street Market Bakery ◆ Hillsborough, North Carolina

This bread was inspired by our Wrens Abruzzi rye flour. Weaver Street was excited to highlight the flavor of this Southern rye grown less than an hour’s drive from the bakery, so they created this bread. There is a beautiful simplicity to it—a moist crumb with the addition of a blend of cardamom, caraway, and fennel rounding out the flavor of the rye. This bread has become a staple in our household, lovely with cheese and ferments, or with tahini and orange marmalade, my morning favorite.

Note: For the bread spice, use a mixture of 2 parts freshly ground caraway seed, 1 part fennel seed, and 1 part cardamom.

yield: 1 (9 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

leaven (14 hours)

154g water

13g starter

163g whole-rye flour

dough

288g water

314g leaven

219g 75-extraction bread flour

165g whole-rye flour

11g fine sea salt

1 teaspoon bread spice (see Note)

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-quart mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 14 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add both flours, the salt, and the bread spice and mix until fully incorporated. Once everything is mixed, either leave the dough in the bowl and cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel, or transfer it to a container with a lid.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, stretching and folding the dough every 45 minutes (according to Step 3 on this page). Although this is a rye dough, which does not have the elasticity or pliability of wheat, there is enough wheat in this dough that it will begin to develop strength and elasticity with each stretch and fold.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease a 9 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan thoroughly. Place the dough in the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Cover and proof at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Bake for 25 minutes, then lower the oven temperature down to 460°F and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the bread reads 206°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, ideally for 12 hours, before slicing.

100% Sourdough Coffee Can Rye

Chicken Bridge Bakery ◆ Pittsboro, North Carolina

This bread is baked in a 15-ounce coffee can, producing a cylindrical loaf and perfectly round slices. Made with mostly light (sifted) rye flour, it has a smooth texture and moist crumb. Its stripped-down simplicity is the beauty of this 100 percent rye bread—with no add-ins, and just fennel, caraway, and anise to enhance the flavorful rye. If you are without a coffee can but would like to make this bread, doubling this recipe yields one 9 x 4-inch Pullman loaf.

yield: 1 cylindrical loaf

leaven (4 hours)

82g warm water (about 85°F)

21g rye starter

82g whole-rye flour

dough

190g water

152g leaven

190g light rye flour

63g whole-rye flour

12.5g malt

5.2g fine sea salt

3g caraway seeds

1g anise seeds

1g fennel seeds

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-pint mason jar, then add the rye starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours, or until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add both flours, the malt, salt, caraway, anise, and fennel and mix until fully incorporated. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, depending on the ambient temperature. The dough will appear to have expanded at about 1.5 to 2 times.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease a clean empty 15-ounce metal coffee can generously. Scoop the dough into the prepared can, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Cover with a kitchen towel and proof at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough has risen to the rim of the can and the surface has cracked.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the bread reads 209°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the can to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, ideally for 24 hours, before slicing.

Seeded Rye

Michael Matson ◆ Nashville, Tennessee

This bread is mostly seeds and cracked rye, though it contains enough wheat flour, along with a wheat leaven, to enable it to build strength and structure with each stretch and fold. Michael Matson developed this bread, inspired by a rye bread he used to make during his time spent in Newport, Maine, at Zu Bakery. This bread is meant to be sliced thin and pairs beautifully with cured meats, cheeses, and ferments.

yield: 1 (13 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

soaker (12 to 24 hours)

242g cracked rye

97g hulled sunflower seeds

97g sesame seeds

48.5g hulled pumpkin seeds

194g nut milk, unsweetened

96g brewed coffee, room temperature

24g sorghum syrup

leaven (14 to 16 hours)

159g water

32g starter

159g whole-wheat flour

dough

513g water

315g leaven

242g whole-wheat bread flour

121g whole-rye flour

121g 75-extraction bread flour

799g soaker

15g fine sea salt

Make the soaker: In a container with a lid, stir together the cracked rye, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, nut milk, coffee, and sorghum syrup. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-quart mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the whole-wheat bread flour, whole-rye flour, and 75 bread flour and mix until incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Add the soaker and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Cover with a kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3½ hours, applying a series of stretch and folds at 1-hour intervals for the first 2 hours (see this page for detailed stretch-and-fold instructions). After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rise, undisturbed, for another 30 minutes.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a mixture of both), grease a 13 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan thoroughly. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Cover and proof at room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the loaf in the oven directly from the refrigerator and bake for 1½ hours, until the internal temperature reads 210°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Ideally, wait 24 hours before slicing into the bread.

Rugbrød

Chicken Bridge Bakery ◆ Pittsboro, North Carolina

Rob Segovia-Welsh relays the story behind this bread: “We had a Danish customer who came to me one market day saying that she was homesick for the traditional rye bread she grew up with. She asked me if I would try making it if she translated a formula for me. I had never made a rye bread that looked anything like this. So much hydration, so much sourdough culture, more whole grains and seeds than flour! As I mixed it for the first time, I thought, ‘No way could this be right!’ There was no shaping, just scooping the dough into bread tins. But it turned out all right. With more practice and some weeks, she gave me her stamp of approval. It has turned into one of my most favorite breads to make and eat and is our most popular whole-grain loaf by far.”

yield: 1 (9 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

leaven (4+ hours)

49g warm water (about 85°F)

12g starter

49g whole-rye flour

soaker (4+ hours)

142g coarsely cracked rye (rye chops)

224g hot water

dough

153g water

101g leaven

366g soaker

52g buttermilk

7g sorghum syrup

127g whole-wheat flour

47g whole-rye flour

9g barley malt

68g flaxseeds

33g sesame seeds

30g hulled sunflower seeds

30g hulled pumpkins seeds

6g fine sea salt

coarsely cracked rye, for sprinkling

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-pint mason jar, then add the rye starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand for 4 hours, or until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the soaker: Put the coarsely cracked rye in a medium bowl and pour over the hot water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the soaker, buttermilk, sorghum syrup, both flours, the malt, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds and mix until fully incorporated. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and mix by hand until fully incorporated. Cover with a kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours. It will appear to have expanded somewhat, but because of the add-ins, rely more on the temperature of your kitchen, the clock, and your senses to judge when it is ready.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease a 9 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan thoroughly. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with coarsely cracked rye. Let proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F and bake for another 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the bread reads 209°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, ideally for 24 hours, before slicing.

Volkornbrot with Fenugreek and Brown Sesame

Pizzeria Gregario ◆ Safety Harbor, Florida

I thought we had enough rye recipes in this book, really. I had no intention of adding another. But then I visited Gregory Seymour in Safety Harbor, Florida, and he handed me a slice of this bread, and I knew I needed to include this one, too! The taste combination of spice and depth of our Wrens Abruzzi rye with the unexpected notes that the fenugreek contributes, and the tooth provided by the addition of the sesame seeds—in the layers of flavor and texture, I was reminded that Gregory, before becoming a baker, was and always will be a chef.

yield: 1 (13 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

leaven (15 to 20 hours)

324g water

34g starter

341g rye meal

soaker (12 hours)

322g rye meal

150g brown sesame seeds, toasted

50g fenugreek, whole

435g water

21g fine sea salt

dough

151g water

644g leaven

977g soaker

280g whole-rye flour, plus more for dusting

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a large clear container with a lid, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the rye meal and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the soaker: In a container with a lid, stir together the rye meal, sesame seeds, fenugreek, water, and salt. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12 hours.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the soaker and then the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at around 78°F for 2 hours (longer in a cooler environment—in my kitchen in North Carolina, I would likely go another hour). The dough will appear to have expanded.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease a 13 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan thoroughly. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Sprinkle rye flour over the top. Let proof at room temperature for 1½ to 3 hours, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 425°F and bake for another 55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 204°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, ideally for 24 hours, before slicing into the bread.

Seeded Rye with Kvass

OWL Bakery ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

Maia Surdam, co-owner of OWL, baker, and historian, developed this recipe while pursuing her research project on the history between beer and bread, a project inspired by a collaboration between OWL and a local brewery. Maia explains, “At OWL, our adventures with kvass began when our friends at Fonta Flora Brewery asked us if they could make a beer with our bread. They wanted three hundred pounds of our country sourdough bread to make it! Their version included a mixed-culture yeast and spent strawberries, resulting in a delightfully tart and fruity beer. This modern-day kvass spoke to the collaborative and creative spirit of our community, but only partially resembled the kvass of ancient times. Indeed, kvass has a long history, particularly in the Slavic areas of Eastern Europe, where, some claim, it has been consumed since the Middle Ages. People typically made it from stale rye bread. Over the centuries, people of all classes drank it, but it was especially popular among working people. Easily and quickly made at home, it was a nutritious, flavorful, and refreshing addition to the diet of peasants.”

Note: This recipe involves a leaven, soaker, pre-ferment, and dough. Read through the recipe before proceeding so you can plan for the timing of this bread. Making the leaven and soaker in the morning, the preferment in the evening, and the dough the following morning is a suggested schedule to follow. If you don’t have access to store-bought kvass, not to worry—this bread can be made with beer or water instead of the kvass. We’ve also included a recipe for making kvass (a great use of old bread). This recipe will produce extra leaven. Save it to use in a later batch of kvass or to make Hemp Crisp Breads (this page) or Cornmeal Crackers (this page).

yield: 2 (9 x 4-inch pullman) loaves

leaven (8 to 10 hours)

70g warm water (about 85°F)

14g starter

70g whole-rye flour

soaker (8 to 10 hours)

47g sorghum molasses

133g hulled pumpkin seeds

133g hulled sunflower seeds

47g flaxseeds

23g sesame seeds

340g hot water

pre-ferment (8 to 10 hours)

252g warm water

134g leaven

722g soaker

420g whole-rye flour

25g fine sea salt

dough

234g kvass (recipe on this page), beer, or water

1,554g pre-ferment

306g coarsely cracked rye

150g whole-wheat bread flour

100g water (if needed)

Make the leaven: In the morning, measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the soaker: In a bowl, combine the sorghum, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds, then pour over the hot water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours.
Make the pre-ferment: In the evening, measure the warm water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the soaker and stir with your hands to combine it with the leaven. Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough is fully hydrated and uniform. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let rest overnight.
Make the dough: Add the kvass to the pre-ferment. Add the coarsely cracked rye and whole-wheat bread flour. Mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated. The dough should be stiff but evenly moist. You may need to add 100 grams more water to hydrate the dough.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease two 9 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pans thoroughly. Divide the dough into two pieces, weighing about 1,120 grams each. Scoop the dough into the prepared pans, then use wet hands to smooth the top of each loaf. Be sure to get the dough all the way into the corners of the pans. Dust the tops of the loaves with flour. Cover each pan loosely with a kitchen towel so the tops of the loaves don’t dry out.
Let proof at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours. The exact proofing time will depend on the temperature of your dough as well as the room temperature. Watch for signs that the bread is ready: it will nearly fill up the pan with a dome and small cracks will start to form along the surface.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for about 1½ hours more, until the internal temperature of each loaf reads 203°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the loaves from the pans to a cooling rack. Allow to sit out, uncovered, for 24 hours before cutting into.

Kvass

(adapted from Olia Hercules’s Mamushka)

Maia explains the origins of this recipe: “Like other traditional beverages once made exclusively in homes, kvass has undergone changes over time. In parts of Eastern Europe today, one can buy kvass from street vendors, although it tends to be sweet, more closely resembling a commercial soft drink than a naturally fermented beverage. OWL baker Lola Borovyk grew up drinking this style of kvass in the Ukrainian city of Kamianske. She found it refreshing, but Lola’s mother always praised the homemade kvass made by her grandfather, which she remembered as less sweet and more complex through his use of raisins and spices.

“Lola made OWL’s first batch of kvass using Olia Hercules’s recipe as a guide. To obtain a deeper flavor reminiscent of her great-grandfather’s kvass, she uses OWL’s 100 percent sourdough rye bread (made with Carolina Ground flour), sweetens it with honey and raisins, and adds coriander and caraway. We have since made several batches of kvass, each a bit different, and use it when we make the Seeded Rye Kvass bread.”

yield: 1 liter (1000 GRAMS)

200g to 250g dried toasted bread (rye is traditional but any kind of whole-grain sourdough bread will work)

1,360g (48 ounces) boiling water

1 tablespoon mixture of coriander, cardamom, and caraway (optional)

2 tablespoon honey

1½ teaspoons leaven

70g mixture of raisins, dates, and dried figs

Place the dried bread in a ½-gallon heat-tempered jar such as a mason jar and pour the boiling water over it. Add the spices and cover with a cloth. Let sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
Strain the mixture into a clean jar. (At OWL, they compost the soaked bread.) Add the honey, leaven, and dried fruit and stir well. Cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm, dark place for 24 to 36 hours.
Taste the kvass and see if you like the flavor. Let it ferment longer if you want a tangier flavor.
When the flavor is to your liking, transfer the kvass to the refrigerator to slow fermentation. Its flavor will continue to evolve over time, becoming more sour and tangy. Serve cold, over fresh mint, if possible, and enjoy!

Russian Scalded Rye

Walnut Schoolhouse ◆ Walnut, North Carolina

This is a unique bread that involves a two-stage rye leaven build as well as a scald of a portion of your flour. The result is a rye bread of complex flavor with hints of coffee and chocolate. Brennan Johnson adapted the recipe from Stanley Ginsberg’s The Rye Baker. It requires a large (5.5-quart) Dutch oven for baking or can be made in a large pullman loaf pan.

yield: 1 large round (or 13 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

leaven stage 1 (6 to 8 hours)

330g warm water (about 85°F)

16g starter

165g whole-rye flour

leaven stage 2 (10 to 12 hours)

275g whole rye flour

511g stage 1 leaven (above)

scald (12 to 16 hours)

250g rye meal

469g boiling water

dough

300g water

715g leaven

719g scald

350g whole-rye flour

18g fine sea salt

Make the stage 1 leaven: Measure the warm water into a large container with a lid (about 3.5 liters), then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand in a warm spot for 6 to 8 hours, until very active and bubbly. (This leaven will have a liquid, batterlike consistency.)
Make the stage 2 leaven: Stir the rye flour into the stage 1 leaven; the mixture will be quite stiff. Let stand for 10 to 12 hours, until it has visibly expanded, cracked on top, and smells sour.
Make the scald: Put the rye meal in a medium bowl and pour over the boiling water. Cover and let stand overnight or for 12 to 16 hours to develop sweetness.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, in a large bowl, combine the water, leaven, scald, flour, and salt and mix until combined, folding the dough over itself a few times to develop structure. This bread will not need any intense kneading. Let sit for 15 minutes.
With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease a Dutch oven. Shape the dough into a flattened ball that will fit inside the Dutch oven, place the dough in the pot, and smooth out the top with a plastic dough scraper. (Alternately, scoop the dough into greased 13 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf.) Cover and let proof in a warm environment for 2½ to 3 hours, until small cracks are visible over the surface. For a decorative appearance, dip the dough scraper in water and use it to score patterns on top of the loaf.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for another hour or more, until the bread is deeply browned and fragrant and its internal temperature reads 206° to 209°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. Let stand for at least 24 hours before slicing.

Whole Rye

Folk ◆ Nashville, Tennessee

This recipe takes some planning, as one must sprout the rye berries and soak old bread and seeds before mixing the dough, but the results are worth it. Soaking old bread and incorporating it into the next bake not only enables one to recycle old bread, but also the soaker contributes a depth of flavor to the bread and an improved keeping quality. Michael Matson suggests using the strained liquid from the soaker as part of the water in the dough, as it becomes dark and syrupy and contributes even more flavor. The sprouted berries lend a sweetness, and with the long bake time, the sugars in the crust caramelize, resulting in layers of flavor.

yield: 1 (13 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

rye sprouts (60 to 72 hours)

70g rye berries

soaker (24 hours)

112.5g old bread

33g hulled sunflower seeds

leaven (14 to 16 hours)

446g water

22g starter

446g whole-rye flour

dough

434g water, as needed

836g leaven

140g sprouted rye berries

146g soaker

557g whole-rye flour, plus more for dusting

14g fine sea salt

Sprout the rye: Place the rye berries in a widemouthed quart mason jar and add cold water to cover. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a screen and soak the rye berries for 12 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly, then return the rye berries to the jar. Rinse and drain the rye twice a day until they sprout and the tail is about the length of the grain itself. It should take 2 to 3 days.
Make the soaker: In a bowl, combine the old bread and sunflower seeds and add just enough water to cover. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then drain the liquid into a container, reserving it for later use, and set aside the soaker until you’re ready to mix the dough.
Make the leaven: Measure the water into a large container with a lid (this will make a lot of leaven and requires a container that’s about 3.5 liters to allow for expansion), then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 14 to 16 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Drain the liquid from the soaker into a medium bowl and place on scale. Add enough water to make 434 grams liquid total. Once the leaven is fully developed, pour this liquid into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the liquid, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the drained soaker, sprouted rye berries, flour, and salt and mix until fully incorporated. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), grease a 13 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan thoroughly. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Dust the top with rye flour. Let proof at room temperature for 1½ to 3 hours, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 209°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let let cool completely, ideally for 24 hours, before slicing.

Nordic Rye with Beer and Sorghum

Boulted Bread ◆ Raleigh, North Carolina

Joshua provides the origins of this bread: “We first baked this loaf for Olly Olly 2017, a gathering of craft beer brewers we (luckily) were invited to attend. This is our classic Nordic Rye formula with additions of dark beer and sorghum to bolster, but not mask, the flavor of North Carolina–grown Wrens Abruzzi rye.”

This recipe is involved but surprisingly fun. It really builds upon all the other rye bread recipes that came before it. With a very high portion of leaven, it requires two leaven builds and also has two soakers—plus a porridge. Be sure to read through the entire recipe before proceeding, to make sure you capture all the steps. The first time I made this, I did not read through the entire recipe (I know…). By the time I was ready to mix the final dough, I was so proud of myself that I poured myself a glass of beer—as there seemed to be beer left over. And then I realized, not quite soon enough, that that leftover beer was actually meant to be used as the liquid in the final dough.

yield: 1 (13 x 4-inch) pullman loaf

seed soaker (12 to 16 hours)

177g water

88g flaxseeds, lightly toasted

88g hulled sunflower seeds, lightly toasted

88g sesame seeds, lightly toasted

rye bread soaker (12 to 16 hours)

48g old rye bread

48g water

leaven stage 1 (3 to 4 hours)

54g warm water

27g starter

54g whole-rye flour

leaven stage 2 (3 to 4 hours)

271g warm water

135g stage 1 leaven (above)

271g whole-rye flour

porridge

183g dark beer

88g rye berries

dough

240g dark beer

615g leaven

96g rye bread soaker

441g seed soaker

271g porridge

29g sorghum syrup

343g whole-rye flour, plus more for dusting

17g fine sea salt

Make the seed soaker: In a container with a lid, stir together the water, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours.
Make the rye bread soaker: Put the bread in a bowl and pour over the water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours.
Make stage 1 leaven: Measure the water into a large clear container with a lid, such as a 1,750 ml Weck jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make stage 2 leaven: Measure the water into a separate large clear container with a lid and add the leaven. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the leaven into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the porridge: In a medium saucepan, combine the beer and rye berries. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the rye berries swell, reduce the heat to low and cook until the rye berries have absorbed all the liquid. Remove from the heat.
Make the dough: Once the stage 2 leaven is fully developed, measure the beer into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the beer, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add both soakers, the porridge, sorghum syrup, flour, and salt and mix until fully incorporated.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), thoroughly grease a 13 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan with a lid. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Dust the top with rye flour.
Let proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours or more, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 420°F.
Bake with the lid of the pan closed for 2 hours, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the bread reads 205°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, ideally for 24 hours, before slicing.

Sprouted and Seeded Rye

Osono Bread ◆ Atlanta, Georgia

This was one of the last recipes I tested. I pushed it to the end because honestly, I was intimidated. The recipe requires sprouting both rye berries and buckwheat groats. I often sprout grains in the mill room to test germination rate, but for some reason, translating this to the kitchen seemed complex. The reality is, sprouting is quite simple and in a way is like taking care of a sourdough culture. One is simply providing the right conditions, and the rest just happens.

Note: Start the rye sprouts 72 hours before you make the final dough. The sprouts are ready when they have just begun to show a tail and can be used until the shoots are about the length of the seed. Going further creates a stringy, not-so-appetizing addition to a loaf of bread. The amount of time it takes the grains to sprout depends on what is being sprouted and how warm or cool your kitchen is.

yield: 1 (9 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

rye sprouts

40g rye berries

buckwheat sprouts (24 to 36 hours)

23g buckwheat grouts

leaven (6 to 8 hours)

64g warm water (about 85°F)

13g starter

64g whole-rye flour

dough

257g water

89g buttermilk

31g beer

13g honey

125g leaven

255g medium-rye flour, plus more for dusting

6g fine sea salt

89g rye sprouts

64g buckwheat sprouts

25g hulled sunflower seeds, toasted

25g hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted

10g flaxseeds, toasted

10g sesame seeds, toasted

Topping

mixture of sunflower, pumpkin, flax, and sesame seeds (optional)

Sprout the rye: Place the rye berries in a widemouthed quart mason jar and add cold water to cover. Cover the jar with a screen and soak the rye berries for 12 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly, then return the rye berries to the jar. Rinse and drain the rye twice a day until they sprout and the tail is about the length of the grain itself. It should take 2 to 3 days.
Sprout the buckwheat: Buckwheat takes much less time to sprout and requires less soaking time. Rinse the buckwheat thoroughly, then place it in a widemouthed quart mason jar and add cold water to cover. Cover the jar with a screen and soak the buckwheat for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly, then return the buckwheat to the jar. Rinse and drain every 12 hours for 24 to 36 hours.
Make the leaven: Thirty-six hours after beginning the sprouting process, measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, in a large bowl, stir together the water, buttermilk, beer, and honey. Add the leaven and dissolve it in the liquid, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the flour and salt and mix to incorporate. This dough should be batterlike. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Add both sprouts and the seeds to the dough and mix until fully incorporated.
Final rise: With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil or melted butter (or a combination of both), thoroughly grease a 9 x 4-inch Pullman loaf pan. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, then use wet hands to smooth the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the top with a mixture of seeds or rye flour. Let proof in a warm spot for 2 to 3 hours or more, until small holes appear in the top of the loaf.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the internal temperature of the bread reads 205°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, at least 12 hours, before slicing.

Chocolate Rye Brownies

Joe Bowie ◆ Columbia, South Carolina

This is a quick and simple recipe that is a serious crowd-pleaser. For an especially beautiful touch, I top these brownies with Fossil River charcoal salt flakes, which adds black specks to the crust. If one chooses to use Dutch-process cocoa (either Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe), the color of the brownies will be near black, and if topped with an even deeper black charcoal salt flake, they are stunning.

yield: 12 large, 24 small, or 48 bite-size brownies

150g (⅔ cup) unsalted butter

300g (11 ounces) dark chocolate (at least 60% cacao), broken into pieces or chopped

50g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)

200g (2 cups) whole-rye flour

½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

200g (1 cup) granulated pure cane sugar

200g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) light brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a few inches overhanging the sides of the pan. Butter the parchment as well.
Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Combine the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over the pan (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter and chocolate have melted and the mixture is well combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the sugars, eggs, and vanilla and whisk on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the chocolate mixture, followed by the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with an offset or rubber spatula, then sprinkle with flaky salt.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the brownies are set. Be careful not to overbake. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then use the overhanging parchment to lift them from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 12, 24, or 48 pieces, depending on what size brownie you prefer. Once fully cooled, store cut brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 or 2 days, in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or wrapped well (or in an airtight container) in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies with Rye and Olive Oil

Levee Baking Co. ◆ New Orleans, Louisiana

A crisp exterior with a soft, rich, and chocolaty interior, this is an excellent cookie that also happens to be vegan. Rye adds a depth of flavor, well paired with chocolate. At Levee, this cookie is made with Carolina Ground Wren Abruzzi rye and dark chocolate from Acalli Chocolate, a New Orleans–based small-batch bean-to-bar chocolate company that maintains direct relationships with their farmers at origin.

yield: 2 dozen cookies

225g (1⅓ cups) light rye flour

63g (⅔ cup) unsweetened dark cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

80g (⅓ cup) canola oil

44g (¼ cup) olive oil

100g (½ cup) unsweetened nut milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

300g (1½ cups) granulated pure cane sugar

80g (½ cup) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Into a medium bowl, sift together the rye flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl by hand), whisk together the canola oil, olive oil, nut milk, and vanilla. Add the sugar and whisk very well until emulsified.
Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated; do not overmix. Pulse a few times and then fold in the chocolate by hand.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies 1½ inches apart. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are crackly on top. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Salted Cane Syrup Tart with Rye-and-Oat Cookie Crust

Levee Baking Co. ◆ New Orleans, Louisiana

Cane syrup is to Louisiana what sorghum syrup is to Tennessee. These flavor-forward Southern sweeteners act as the defining element in a recipe. Here the salted cane syrup and the rye-and-oat cookie crust provide the perfect balance of flavor and texture to this iteration of a classic chess pie.

yield: 1 (10-inch) tart

crust

80g (¾ cup) light rye flour

120g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) rolled oats, toasted

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

75g (⅓ cup) dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 egg, whisked

25g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

filling

90g (⅓ cup) dark brown sugar

75g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar

24g (¼ cup) dry milk powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

112g (¼ cup) butter, melted

80g (⅓ cup) heavy cream, at room temperature

75g (¼ cup) cane syrup

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

4 egg yolks, at room temperature

flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the crust: In a small bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
With the mixer running on low speed, add the egg and mix until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients in two parts and mix until just incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed and making sure that no streaks of butter remain; do not overmix.
Scrape the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it in an even layer about ¼ inch thick and bake until golden brown and crispy, 15 to 18 minutes.
Remove the cookie from the oven and let cool completely; keep the oven on. Break up the cookie and transfer it to a food processor, then pulse until broken down into crumbs (alternatively, transfer the cookie pieces to a zip-top bag and crush into crumbs with a rolling pin).
Grease a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Transfer the cookie crumbs to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until set. If the sides sag a little, use a clean kitchen towel to press up the sides while the crust is still hot. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling; keep the oven on.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together both sugars, the dry milk powder, and the salt, breaking up any lumps. Add the melted butter, cream, and cane syrup. Whisk to emulsify. Add the vanilla seeds, then the egg yolks and whisk slowly until incorporated. You don’t want to add any air to the filling.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the custard is just set. Let cool completely, then remove the tart from the pan, sprinkle flaky salt on top, and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Rye Hand Pies

La Farm Bakery ◆ Cary, North Carolina

A couple years into milling, around harvest, Billy Carter, Lionel Vatinet, and I came together—farmer, baker, and miller—at Billy’s farm. Lionel brought Billy a loaf of bread and pastries from his bakery. We talked about grain and flour, and about our kids. It is these human connections that provide the foundation for regional milling endeavors. Our Wrens Abruzzi rye comes from Billy Carter’s farm. This recipe, developed in order to showcase our Wrens Abruzzi rye, arose out of La Farm’s desire to bring this story back to their customers. And who doesn’t love a hand pie? These are classically French in that there is very little sugar in the dough, but a healthy amount of butter, which brings forward the rye flavor. Think of a Pop-Tart and then imagine the best version. Here’s the recipe.

yield: about 6 large (3 x 5-inch) hand pies

250g (2⅛ cups) high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

50g (½ cup) whole-rye flour

15g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder

15g (1½ tablespoons) granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

egg white from 1 egg

30g (2 tablespoons) milk, cold

1 pint fresh strawberries

90g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) chocolate-hazelnut spread

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine both flours, the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. With the mixer on medium speed, add the butter one cube at a time and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix together the egg whites and milk. With the mixer on low speed, pour in the egg mixture and beat until the dough just starts to come together.
Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and divide it in half. Press each half flat into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Wash the strawberries and pulse a few times in a food processor, or chop by hand into small ⅛ to ¼-inch pieces.
To make an egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk.
Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Working quickly, roll out the dough into a ⅛-inch-thick rectangle. Use bench scraper or pastry knife to cut it into 3 x 5-inch rectangles. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate. Repeat with the remaining dough; transferring the rectangles to the second baking sheet and refrigerate.
Remove the first set of rectangles from the refrigerator. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the chocolate-hazelnut spread on half the rectangles, leaving a ¼-inch border. Top with 1 heaping tablespoon of strawberries, being careful not to overfill. Brush the edges with the egg wash and top with the remaining rectangles of dough. Press the edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges and prick the tops to allow steam to escape. Brush the tops with the egg wash and then sprinkle with sugar. Repeat with the second set of rectangles.
Bake on the center rack for 25 to 30 minutes, until the hand pies are golden around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before diving in.

Rye Chocolate Chip Sablés

La Farm Bakery ◆ Cary, North Carolina

These are another product La Farm developed to showcase our Wrens Abruzzi rye. They are less sweet than they are rich, bringing forward the flavor and mouthfeel of the whole-rye flour. Lovely served with tea.

yield: about 40 cookies

240g (2⅔ cups) whole-rye flour

270g (2¼ cups) high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

390g (1¾ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

180g (1 cup) granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

100g (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the rye and all-purpose flours. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, then add the flour in three increments, mixing until just incorporated after each addition before adding the next; be careful not to overmix. Add the chocolate and mix until evenly distributed.
Divide the dough in half and press each portion into a squared-off disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Roll out the dough to ½ inch thick and cut it into 2-inch squares. Place them on a baking sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the tops generously with sugar.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Rye Shortbread

Boulted Bread ◆ Raleigh, North Carolina

Like La Farm’s Rye Chocolate Chip Sablés (this page), these rye shortbreads are less sweet than they are rich. These are made with 100 percent sifted rye, delivering a lovely sandy tooth and full flavor. Pairs well with red wine.

yield: about 30 cookies

401g (1¾ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

500g (5⅛ cups) medium or light rye flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

60g (½ cup) cacao nibs

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
With the mixer on low speed, add the egg and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and salt and mix until just incorporated. Pulse in the cacao nibs until evenly dispersed.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough to ½ inch thick and cut it into 1 x 3-inch rectangles. Place them on the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart.
Bake for 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Jam Tart with Rye Crust

Anisette ◆ Raleigh, North Carolina

Jason drives from Raleigh once a month to pick up flour. Sometimes I see him, which is always great. Oftentimes we miss each other, but he leaves treats that Nicole sends with him in the mill room. This tart was one of those treats. It was summertime, and the tart was filled with a rhubarb jam. Everyone who came into the mill room that day got a slice. We all wanted the recipe, so here it is.

Note: If you’d like to make your own jam for the filling, the formula Nicole likes to use is 3 parts fruit (already washed and chopped) to 1 part sugar by weight. Cook the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to ensure the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, continue cooking (without stirring) until it reaches 220°F. Let cool before using to fill the tart.

yield: 1 (8-inch) tart

220g (2¼ cups) light rye flour

58g (¼ cup) granulated sugar

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

1 egg

lemon zest from half a large lemon

200g (¾ cup) jam (see Note)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Make a well in the center of the mixture. Place the egg and lemon zest in the well and use a fork to gradually incorporate the flour and combine all the ingredients.
Divide the dough into two portions, one weighing approximately 275 grams and the other approximately 165 grams, and form them into disks (the smaller disk will be used for the lattice top). The dough will be crumbly, but will come together as you gather it to form the disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a lightly floured work surface or a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the larger disk of dough to a 9-inch round. Transfer the dough to an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, gently pressing it into the corners, and prick with a fork. Freeze the tart shell for 15 minutes.
Roll out the smaller disk of dough into a round slightly larger than 8 inches in diameter and cut it into 1-inch-wide strips (or cut out decorative shapes).
Remove the tart shell from the freezer and fill it with the jam, spreading it evenly. Carefully place the dough strips parallel to one another over the top of the tart, spacing them about 1 inch apart (or top the tart with the decorative cutouts). The strips are delicate, and it’s best to lift them with a long, slim knife so they don’t break.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the jam is bubbling and the edges of the crust are starting to lightly brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, then remove the tart from the pan.

Upside-Down Rye Cake with Seasonal Fruit

OWL Bakery ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

At OWL, they use blackberries as the fruit layer during the summer and then incorporate minced fresh thyme (about 2 tablespoons) into the dough. Other seasonal ideas that pair well with rye are apples in the fall and thinly sliced oranges in the winter.

Notes: This recipe can be made as a simple rye pound cake loaf instead of an upside-down cake. Butter a 13 x 4-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Prepare the batter as directed, then pour it into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour.

If you’ll be using stone fruits, apples, or pears to make this upside-down cake, be sure to slice them thinly.

yield: 1 (9-inch) round upside-down cake or one (13 x 4-inch pullman) loaf

300g (1½ cups) granulated sugar

150g (1¼ cups) high-extraction all-purpose flour (85AP)

105g (1 cup) light rye flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

390g (1¾ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 eggs

100g (½ cup) heavy cream

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

for preparing the pan

80g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

80g (⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon) light brown sugar

2 to 3 cups seasonal fruit (see second Note)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch-round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar, both flours, the baking powder, and the salt until incorporated. Add the butter and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Add the cream and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
In a small bowl, mix the 80 grams of butter and brown sugar into a paste and spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Add the fruit, covering the entire bottom of the pan, then pour the batter over the fruit.
Bake for 1 hour 40 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then place a large plate over the pan and invert the pan and plate together to turn the cake out onto the plate. Store covered in the refrigerator for up 5 to 6 days.

Salted Rye Cookies

Carolina Ground ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

This is a recipe that I adapted from Liana Krissoff’s Whole Grains for a New Generation. I became sort of obsessed with making this cookie, pulling back on the sugar each time. This is where I landed. The combination of buttery, salty, and sweet carried by our flavor-forward rye strikes just the right balance for me.

yield: at least 30 cookies

260g (2⅔ cups) whole- or medium-rye flour

1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt

200g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

125g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons sparkling sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and ¼ teaspoon of the salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. With mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated, making sure that no streaks of butter are remaining; do not overmix.
Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Turn the dough out onto the parchment, wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes, until the dough feels cold.
Unwrap the dough, reserving the parchment, and form it into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap the log in the parchment and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a second piece of parchment paper, combine the sparkling sugar and the remaining salt. Unwrap the dough and roll it in the sugar-salt mixture to coat well. Place the log on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into ¼-inch-thick rounds, placing them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely. They will crisp up as they cool. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Rye Shortbread with Mascarpone and Lemon Curd

Carolina Ground ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

This cookie was our creative solution to a mistake in the mill room. It was the first year we were milling. Tara Jensen was working with me in the mill room and we were milling whole rye. Neither of us noticed that the slide gate for the bucket elevator was open, diverting some of our flour to the bolter (the machine that sifts our flour). Once I realized the issue (it did not take long, as the amount of whole-grain flour we were producing was reduced), I turned on the bolter and we ran the rye flour over the screens that were in the bolter at the time—our finest screens. I had no idea what to do with this flour, so Tara took some home and came back the next day with these shortbread cookies, or something quite similar. (She didn’t write down the recipe, so the two of us collaborated on reviving the recipe.) And because of this cookie, we started producing our light rye flour.

yield: about 10 cookies

200g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

100g (½ cup) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 egg

260g (2⅔ cups) light rye flour

8-ounces mascarpone cheese

100g (⅓ cup) lemon curd

In a food processor, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, then add the egg and process until fully incorporated. Add the flour and pulse about 10 times, until a consistent dough forms. Scrape the dough into a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to ¼ inch thick. With a 2¾-inch-round cookie cutter, stamp out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Place a heaping tablespoon of the mascarpone in the center of half of the cookies and slightly spread the cheese, leaving a ½-inch border. Add a heaping teaspoon of the lemon curd on top of the mascarpone.
Using a 1½-inch circular cutter, stamp out the centers of the unfilled cookies and place the leftover rings on top of the filled cookies. (The stamped out centers can be baked into simple rye cookies.) Using a small fork, crimp the edges all the way around. Freeze for 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before diving in.

Salted and Malted Cookies

Kim Thompson ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

Kim Thompson is the second miller Carolina Ground has produced. Within minutes of meeting her, I knew she would be a great fit. She’d served in the military and had majored in philosophy, which seemed like the perfect ingredients for a miller—mighty and reflective. Kim used to bring various iterations of this cookie to the mill to share. We all became obsessed.

Note: Although this recipe is written with medium-rye as the flour, whole rye or light rye also work well here. It took a lot to get Kim to actually commit this recipe to paper, as it was historically inspired by whatever flour she happened to have in her kitchen.

yield: about 42 cookies

326g (3⅓ cups) medium-rye flour (see Note)

42.5g (½ cup) unsweetened dark cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

71g (¼ cup) malt flour

1¾ teaspoons finely ground coffee or instant espresso powder

218g (¾ cup + 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

227g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) light brown sugar

227g (1¼ cup) granulated pure cane sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

340g (12 ounces) dark chocolate chips

cacao nibs, for topping

flaky sea salt, for topping

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the malt and coffee. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a sturdy wooden spoon), cream the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, add the egg mixture, then increase the speed to medium-high and mix until fully incorporated. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed and making sure no streaks of butter remain; do not overmix. With the mixer on low speed, add the chocolate chips and mix just to combine.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Divide the dough into 28-gram portions (or use a 1-ounce cookie scoop) and shape into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1½ inches apart. Generously top with cacao nibs and flaky salt, pressing them gently into the dough. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour or even overnight before baking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. (Depending on if you’re a fan of crispy or chewy cookies, let them go for longer or shorter. For Kim, 14 minutes seems to be the sweet spot.)
Remove from the oven and slide the cookies, still on the parchment, onto a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

North Carolina Rye Custard

Ashley Capps ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

Ashley developed this recipe for the launch of Asheville’s farm-to-table restaurant Rhubarb. As pastry chef, she was set to the task of creating a dessert that incorporated rhubarb and rye, two Southern-grown favorites. Ashley explains, “One of the first desserts we opened up Rhubarb with was called Rhubarb + Rye—it was poached rhubarb, rye shortbread, rye custard, and rhubarb sorbet.” This is a rich custard that is best used as an accompaniment—a dollop or two—to elevate a dessert or a bowl of fruit. Consider using this as a topping for the White Wheat Cake (this page).

Note: This recipe uses an ice bath to cool the custard. Although that is the most ideal approach, if you prefer, you can skip the ice bath and just cool the custard with a large whisk and a strong arm.

yield: 1 Pint

4 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

65g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar

50g (½ cup) light rye flour

330g (1½ cups) heavy cream

56g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch or smaller pieces and chilled

65g (¼ cup) buttermilk

Fill a large stainless-steel bowl halfway with ice. Place it in your kitchen sink and add cold water to cover.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks on medium speed. Add the vanilla seeds, then gradually add the sugar and continue to whisk on medium speed for 90 seconds, stopping to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 3 minutes, until the mixture has lightened to a pale color and visibly thickened. (This is known as ribbon stage.)
With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour and mix until combined. Add the cream and mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a spatula, until the mixture begins to thicken, then taste to see if the starchy flavor of the flour has been cooked out. Allow the mixture to bubble lightly and slowly, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula, for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.
Pour the custard into a stainless-steel bowl and place it in the ice bath (see Note). Let cool to 140°F, whisking to help the custard cool. Remove from the ice bath and add the butter one piece at a time, whisking each addition until incorporated before adding the next. Whisk in buttermilk, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth or transfer to a standing blender and blend until smooth.
Use right away (see suggestions in the headnote), or store covered in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.