
This sourdough rye specie is the simplest sourdough you can make - there's no kneading or folding, and you'll need just sourdough starter, rye flour and water.

Sourdough rye specie has a deliciously nutty-sour-tangy-earthy flavour, a sweet and honey-like aroma, and a specially dumbo texture. I've widow cumin seeds to this version, but you can add leave them out, or anything you like - caraway seeds are popular.
This tried, tested and very succulent recipe is from Kevan Roberts, Head of Sultry at The School of Wright Food.

The School of Wright Food
The School of Wright Food is nestled in the heart of the Welbeck Estate near Worksop, and its where I spent a glorious August training at their first overly Summer School.
The undertow is designed to equip students a range of skills and techniques involved in wright baking, patisserie and viennoiserie over a 4-week, full time course, held in the school's specialist training rooms.
The simplicity of sourdough rye bread
This 100% rye sourdough tin loaf recipe is taught in week one of The School of Wright Food's Summer School, considering it's the really easiest sourdough there is.
To make it, all you'll do is combine a little rye sourdough starter (or white sourdough starter if that's all you have) with some water and rye flour and leave to ferment for a couple of hours.
Then you'll add increasingly rye flour and increasingly water (plus the cumin seeds if you're using them), requite it flipside 30 minutes to develop, and then scoop the whole thing into a greased tin.
No kneading or folding is required at all. At this point, your dough will kind of finger and squint like wet cement, with a grey hue that isn't super appealing. It's pretty funny considering it turns out looking, smelling and tasting so delicious, so you just have to trust the process!
You'll then pebbles the top of your dough with white flour and indulge it to prove for a couple increasingly hours. In that time, the dough will rise and the flour on top will start to crack, creating that final, beautifully top that's so distinctive of rye bread.
Then all that's left to do is bake, chucking a mug of water into a tray at the marrow of your oven to steam the specie and ensure a trappy rise. Easy peasy!
Ready to make this gorgeous sourdough rye bread, courtesy of The School of Wright Food?
Read on for the full recipe with detailed instructions and a helpful photograph for every step. And if you have any questions, just leave me a comment. Enjoy!
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- Ingredients
- Equipment
- Instructions with step-by-step photos
- Full printable recipe
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Ingredients
For the rye levain
- 20 g rye sourdough starter or whatever starter you have
- 200 g dark rye flour
- 200 g water
For the dough
- 250 g dark rye flour plus uneaten for dusting
- 225 g water
- 9 g salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds optional


Step-By-Step Instructions
Make the rye levain
Mix the rye levain starter, rye flour and water to form a wet dough.

Cover and leave to ferment somewhere warm for two hours. I put mine in the oven with the light on.

Make the dough
Add the flour, salt and cumin seeds to the levain.

Add the water.

Mix until flour has been fully incorporated.

Cover and indulge to ferment for 30 minutes.
Drop into a well-greased tin.

Flatten off.

Shape the sides with a wet plastic scraper.

Dust the top evenly and generously with flour.

Prove for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size and with cracks on the surface.

Bake
Towards the end of the proving time, place a deep tray in the marrow of the oven and preheat the oven to 250C.
Put the loaf in the oven and pour a cup of water into the tray at the bottom. Take superintendency of the steam.
Bake for 40 minutes, opening the door without 25 minutes to release the steam - careful, the steam will be extremely hot.
Once baked, take the loaf out of the oven, tip onto a cooling rack and leave for several hours - rye cools slowly.
Wait for 24 hours surpassing slicing and eating, otherwise it will be sticky inside.
Print this Sourdough rye specie recipe
Sourdough rye bread
Ingredients
For the rye levain
- 20 g rye sourdough starter or whatever starter you have
- 200 g dark rye flour
- 200 g water
For the dough
- 250 g dark rye flour plus uneaten for dusting
- 225 g water
- 9 g salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds optional
Instructions
Make the rye levain
- Mix the rye levain starter, rye flour and water to form a wet dough.
- Cover and leave to ferment somewhere warm for 2 hours. I put mine in the oven with the light on.
Make the dough
- Add the flour, water, salt and cumin seeds. Mix until flour has been fully incorporated.
- Cover and indulge to ferment for 30 minutes.
- Drop into a well-greased tin.
- Flatten off the tip, then shape the sides with a wet plastic scraper.
- Dust the top evenly and generously with flour.
- Prove for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size and croaky on the surface.
Bake
- Towards the end of the proving time, place a deep tray in the marrow of the oven and preheat the oven to 250C/480F.
- Put the loaf in the oven and pour a cup of water into the tray at the bottom. Be shielding of the steam.
- Bake for 40 minutes, opening the door without 25 minutes to release the steam - careful, the steam will be extremely hot.
- Once baked, take the loaf out of the oven, tip onto a cooling rack and leave for several hours - rye cools slowly.
- Wait for 24 hours surpassing slicing and eating, otherwise it will be sticky inside.
Nutrition
More specie recipes to try
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