Rye

After wheat, rye is the second most important grain for the bread baker. In much the same way that wheat flour comes in varieties ranging from white to medium to dark (100 percent whole wheat), rye does as well. These gradations are a function of how much of the original kernel remains in the final flour, with paler flours having more of the outer layers of bran and endosperm removed. Darker, more whole grain flour absorbs liquid more readily.

You may have noticed that rye bread is often denser than wheat. This is because although rye has the same gluten-forming proteins as wheat (glutenin and gliadin), it doesn’t have them in the same ratio as wheat; when compared to wheat, rye has only 10 percent the amount of glutenin. Still, rye has its own signature flavors and aromas, expanding the baker’s arsenal, and I find it indispensable to sourdough starter and as a supplement to many of my commercial yeast starters. It adds a note of aromatic sweetness that reminds me of premium vodka, and the accelerated way it interacts with yeast jump-starts and amplifies fermentation. In a final dough mixture, white rye adds a distinctive sweetness. Dark rye also contributes a deep brown color that makes for an appealing appearance: one that says “put some cold cuts or hard smoked cheese on me.” I find rye to be an ingredient that plays well with others; it’s great in a supporting role but challenging as a solo act. When it’s the primary flour, it makes for a super-dense bread—something I want to make only occasionally and only for specific reasons, like to serve with smoked wild salmon. Because rye adds such distinct flavors, depending on whether it’s white rye, medium rye, or dark rye, I recommend that you stay with what I call for in the recipes. I’ve done many experiments to arrive at the flavor profile of each bread, and I’ve learned from my mistakes so you don’t have to.