Sprouted rye is exceptionally healthy with folate levels almost four times as much as regular rye, and has a lower glycemic index that helps with keeping blood sugar levels stable. The challenge is making a soft crumb that is good for sandwiches. The ingredients and techniques create an exceptional sandwich loaf.

Required equipment 

Ceramic or cast iron pot (at least 3 quart size)

Helpful equipment

• Stand mixer
• Proofing box.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sprouted rye flour
• 1 cup sprouted hard red wheat berries.
• 1 cup unbleached organic white flour
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger root
• 1/4 tsp diastatic malt powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup warm water
• Instant rise yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• Sprayable olive or avocado oil.

Directions

• Dissolve the instant yeast in the warm water.  (even though you don’t need to proof instant yeast – this helps with bread that use milk proteins to create a softer crumb).
• Melt the butter and molasses in the buttermilk and let cool to luke warm.
• Mix all the dry ingredients except for the salt.
• Add the liquid ingredients.  If you’re using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix until a dough ball forms.
• Add in the salt and continue mixing. Mix (knead) for five minutes. Let the dough rest for ten minutes.  Knead with the dough hook for another five minutes.
• Using the sprayable oil, coat a glass or ceramic bowl for proofing and oil the dough. Cover the bowl with saran wrap.
• Put the dough in a proofing box set at 85 degrees (or boil water and put it in an unheated oven with the dough).
• Every 30 minutes for two hours, take the dough out, flatten it, fold it in fours, reshape it into a bowl and put it back in the rising bowl and proofing box.
• After the two-hour rise, put the dough into a ceramic or cast iron pot (that has a lid). Make sure the pot is at least twice as big as the dough ball and spray both the pot and the dough ball with spray oil.
• Cover and put the pot with the dough ball back in the proofing box. Turn the heat up to 95 degrees. (or boil water and put it back in the unheated oven). Let it rise for two hours.
• If you’ve been using an unheated oven as your proofing box and you’re going to be pre-heating the oven, remove your dough.
• Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees F.
• Keep the cover on the pot, put the pot into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to 400, Cook covered for another 30 minutes
• Remove the cover and cook for another 30 minutes.
• Check the temperature and if the center is 200 degrees F, it’s done.
• Cook the loaf on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.

Serving

• The bread is best consumed within a day or two.
• If you’re not able to eat it all within two days, slice it and save it in the freezer. It does very well toasted.