Gill Meller
LATIN NAME
Secale cereale
MORE RECIPES
Field mushroom and celeriac pie; Rye and caraway scones; Tortillas with cumin and garlic oil
SOURCING
A graceful-looking crop, rye is hardy and resilient, thriving in cold climates where other grains struggle. Popular in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, it’s often planted in the autumn as the ground cools, and thrives even in snow and harsh winter winds. The grain itself is fairly difficult to refine, so rye flour is usually wholemeal and, as it includes the nutritious bran and germ, it is a good source of soluble fibre.
Rye’s traditional use is in bread-making. Related to wheat, it contains some gluten but does not form the same kind of elastic, springy dough that wheat does. Rye is sometimes combined with wheat flour to produce a lighter bread, but pure rye breads are classic too. The dough itself is sticky and dense and bakes into bread with a characteristically moist texture, close crumb and intense nutty flavour. Rye breads are often made with a fermenting leaven or sourdough starter, which results in a better texture than if yeast is used, and, of course, contributes to flavour.
Pumpernickel is a typical German rye bread, made with cracked and whole rye grains. Its dark colour and complex, sweet flavour come from fantastically long baking times – in some cases as long as 24 hours at a very low temperature. Rugbrød is a Danish fermented rye loaf, full of seeds and wholegrains (and occasionally wheat flour too). It’s delicious eaten for breakfast with cheese and ham or used for smørrebrød – open sandwiches, buttered and topped with pickled fish, eggs and cured meats.
But rye flour should not be reserved for bread alone. Its nutty aroma and earthy texture will lend character to cakes, scones, biscuits, crispbreads and pancake batters. If you use rye flour in a recipe where you would normally use wheat, be prepared to add more liquid, as it is more absorbent. The results will be a little more dense and crumbly but also more richly flavoured.
Dark, wholemeal rye flour is widely available. A lighter version, which has some of the bran sifted out, can also be found. Rye flakes are roasted, rolled whole grains – ideal for an easy porridge, or fried in butter until crisp and sprinkled on veg dishes.
Rye adds a lovely nutty taste to this rich, fudgey chocolate cake. If you can’t find light rye, dark rye works well too. Serves 8
250g dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), broken into chunks
250g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 medium eggs, separated
200g caster sugar (or half caster/half soft light brown sugar)
100g light rye flour
A pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/Gas 3. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin.
Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Stir occasionally until melted. Leave to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl until well combined, then stir in the melted chocolate and butter. Combine the rye flour, salt and baking powder and fold into the mixture.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Stir a large spoonful into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites, using a large metal spoon or spatula, trying to keep in as much air as possible.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 30 minutes, until only just set. It should still wobble slightly in the centre – this means the cake will have a divinely sticky, fudgey texture. Leave to cool for 10–15 minutes before releasing from the tin.
Serve the cake warm or cold, on its own or with a dollop of thick cream, crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt.