Rye bread crostini


It is not really crostini because the bread is not toasted. Actually, the bread is right out of the oven. The bread is dense, heavy, exceedingly flavorful with additional caraway seed mixed into it. 

But not so dense as it could be.

Rye flour and water with powdered milk, butter and egg, yeast, and salt are processed to a very wet batter longer than possible with all purpose wheat flour. Rye does have a little gluten but not nearly as much as wheat flour. It takes longer to develop. If all purpose flour is processed as long as this  then all purpose would be overprocessed and the gluten would be busted and unable to adhere to itself. After a few minutes in the Cuisinart when rye shows threadiness then all purpose flour is added in tablespoon increments and processed briefly until a very thick batter is formed, sticky and unmanageable, but not actual dough.

The batter rises once in the smallest pan and holds, its appearance much as if chemical leaven is used. It doubles in height. Its baked flavor is deep and wonderful, its crumb even, but because of the whole wheat flour included for its gluten, its rye flavor is a shadow of real 100% rye bread such as popular in Northern European countries and its density lighter. 

Even with caraway seed inside, onion, bright tomato, mineral sea salt and cilantro, it is the rye bread flavor that lingers, diluted as it is with all purpose flour. 

No comments:

Blog Archive