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Sprouted Sourdough with Rye Berries

A delicious, toothsome sprouted wheat sourdough with the added taste and texture of whole sprouted rye berries.

Whole sprouted rye berries add a wonderful buttery richness and chewy texture to this 100% sprouted sourdough. Sourdough and sprouting go hand-in-hand for bread that is highly digestible and has a deeply complex flavour. It has a moderate crumb that’s great for toast and sandwiches. While this recipe is suitable for beginners, if you’re brand new to sourdough, we recommend starting here for a step by step guide.

Sprouting improves the taste, texture and digestibility of whole grains. It also reduces bitterness (saponin) and converts complex carbs into simpler sugars. This results in a lighter, sweeter taste. Our sprouted wheat flour and sprouted rye berries are both grown in Canada.

tips for making sprouted Sourdough

Your starter should be fed in the last 4 – 16 hours and is bubbly, active and ready to use (ripe). This recipe uses 100% hydration starter, that is, equal parts flour and water. If you have a different type of starter you have to adjust the water in the recipe accordingly. For more information about sourdough starter, see our starter guide here.
We highly recommend you weigh the ingredients rather than using cup measures
Sprouted bread benefits from a warm rise. Use a proofing box if you have one, or there are simple ways to improvise one. A cold oven with just the oven light on works well, as it’s slightly warmer than room temperature. Just remember to remove it before preheating the oven! A microwave with a small cup of boiling water also works.
Proofing time can vary based on the temperature of your kitchen, the strength of your starter etc. Look for signs of good fermentation (volume increase, bubbles etc.) rather than relying only on the times provided.
Try to make sure as many rye berries are inside the dough as possible. The ones left on top of the loaf will toast in the oven and become too crunchy to chew!

ingredient tips and substitutions

Rye berries: you can substitute sprouted wheat berries, sprouted farro or sprouted oats
Molasses: swap for honey or another liquid or granulated sugar of choice

You can also try variations like topping with seeds for extra texture and nutrition. After shaping (but before rising) very lightly brush or spray the top of the loaf with water then roll in your favourite seeds. Flax, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds are all great options! We do not recommend topping with whole rye, it will become too crunchy and hard to chew when toasted.

how to properly measure flour

A kitchen scale is recommended because it is the most accurate way to measure flour. However, if you are using cup measures the best method is spoon and level. Fluff up the flour with a spoon then spoon it into a measuring cup (don’t pack it down) until it’s over filled. Sweep the excess flour off the top with a straight edge. This should get you pretty close to the gram weight, but pay attention to the textures described in the recipe and adjust if necessary.

how to stretch and fold

Sprouted sourdough benefits from gentle handling, so the stretch and fold method is ideal for building structure (gluten) in your dough, instead of kneading or using an electric mixer. This is also sometimes called “no knead” bread.

With damp or lightly oiled hands, reach under the edge of the dough that is furthest from you. Stretch it up and fold it back over itself. The quicker you work, the less dough will stick to your hands.
Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Do this twice more so the bowl makes a full circle.
Flip the dough over to the smooth side.

That’s it! The dough should be noticeably firmer and smoother, but be gentle (especially in the later folds) so you don’t deflate the dough.

Stretch up

Fold over itself

Rotate & Repeat

Flip to the smooth side

How to store sourdough

If you want to keep the crust crisp, sourdough is best stored in paper or cloth with the cut side down (this keeps the inside from drying out). If you prefer a softer crust, it can be stored in plastic.

Sourdough also freezes beautifully, we recommend slicing it before freezing so you can thaw only the slices you need. If you have any stale bits they don’t need to be wasted, they make the best croutons!

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