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Baking worksheet

R1-C4: rye with scald and red malt

The sheet checks a rye-wheat 80/20 with a scald and red malt. Three refreshments bring the starter to peak, in the evening the scald and opara are built, in the morning comes the mix and bake, with the slice after 12+ hours.

Full recipe

Technical summary

Course code
R1-C4 — rye-wheat 80/20 with a scald and red malt on a sourdough opara
Hypothesis
A scald with red malt brings out the sweetness of rye flour and contrasts with the acidity of the opara; coriander adds an optional note without dominating
Main variable
the scald + opara pair: the sweetness of the scald balances the acidity of the opara
Formula
rye flour 400 g, wheat 100 g, water 380 g (76%), salt 9 g, red malt 15 g, coriander 4 g; scald 100 g rye + 150 g boiling water + 15 g malt; opara 100 g rye + 100 g water + 20 g inoculum
Starter
3 refreshments: 5+10+10 → 5+15+15 → 20+85+85; 15–20 g reserve, 20 g inoculum into the opara
Scald
100 g rye flour + 15 g malt + 150 g boiling water; steep covered for 1 hour, then cool to 35–40 °C before mixing
Opara
100 g rye flour + 100 g water + 20 g active starter; 10–14 hours at 24–27 °C to dome and a lactic smell
Mix
opara + scald + salt + coriander + water + rye and wheat flour; K-beater on Min 1–2 minutes to uniform
Final proof
24–28 °C until rise of 1.5–1.8 times; reference 1.5–2.5 hours
Bake
250 °C 10 min with steam → 200 °C 30 min → 170 °C 30 min to 98–99 °C internal
Slice
no earlier than 12 hours after baking, better 24 hours
Sensory
scald sweetness, opara acidity, malt aroma, coriander, crumb density

Levain build

Starter for the levain
20 g ripe starter
Build
20 g + 100 g flour + 100 g water → levain 220 g
Refreshes
5+10+10 (1:2:2) → 5+15+15 (1:3:3) → 20+85+85 (≈1:4:4)
Reserve to fridge
18 g
Ready when
10–14 h at 24–27 °C until domed

R1-C4: working sheet · scald + malt

Schedule mode

Pick a starting style. The schedule and timers will update.

Enter the date and time of the first refreshment; the sheet will recalculate refreshments, scald, opara, mix, bake, and slice.

Parallel steps: this step runs alongside the previous one. Watch both timers.

  1. Timer to next step: 8 h–12 h Base: 24 °C. Baseline is 23 °C. Dough readiness still decides the bake.

    Take the rye starter out of the fridge. Mix 5 g of starter (inoculum), 10 g of water, and 10 g of whole-grain rye flour. Base ratio for long cold storage: 1:2:2. Hold at about 24 °C.

    Step ingredients

    Starter (inoculum)
    5 g of rye starter
    Water
    10 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    10 g
    Yield
    about 25 g
    Target
    The starter has woken up: there is rise and a clean smell with no sharp vinegar note.
    Check
    Record the exact time of the first refreshment for the journal export.
    Evidence
    Side photo of the jar, time, temperature next to the jar.
  2. Timer to next step: 10 h–14 h Base: 23 °C. Baseline is 23 °C. Dough readiness still decides the bake.

    When the first stage has given confident rise, bubbles, and a clean smell, do the second refreshment at 1:3:3. If the starter is not ready, wait for a clear peak.

    Step ingredients

    Starter from refreshment 1
    5 g
    Water
    15 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    15 g
    Yield
    about 35 g
    Target
    Confident rise after the first refreshment.
    Check
    Do not move on by the clock alone if the starter clearly has not come back to life.
    Evidence
    Time, temperature.
  3. Timer to next step: 8 h–12 h Base: 23 °C. Baseline is 23 °C. Dough readiness still decides the bake.

    When refreshment 2 has given a confident peak, do the final refreshment at 20+85+85. If refreshment 2 has shifted, shift this step too.

    Step ingredients

    Starter from refreshment 2
    20 g
    Water
    85 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    85 g
    Yield
    about 190 g: 15–20 g reserve into the fridge, 20 g inoculum into the opara
    Target
    Active rye starter at or near peak plus a reserve for future bakes.
    Check
    Before building the opara, first transfer 15–20 g of active starter into a clean jar and put it in the fridge; weigh out exactly 20 g for the opara.
    Evidence
    Time of peak, temperature.
  4. Timer to next step: 1 h in parallel with the previous step — watch both

    In a thermos or a jar with a tight lid, combine 100 g of whole-grain rye flour and 15 g of red fermented rye malt. Pour in 150 g of boiling water, stir quickly with no dry lumps, close tightly, and leave for 1 hour. Then cool to 35–40 °C — that takes another 1–2 hours on the counter.

    Step ingredients

    Whole-grain rye flour
    100 g
    Red fermented rye malt
    15 g
    Water
    150 g (boiling)
    Yield
    about 265 g of thick dark scald
    Target
    Dark uniform sweet scald with no dry lumps, cooled to 35–40 °C by mixing time.
    Check
    The scald must not be hotter than 45 °C at mix time, otherwise opara acidity will suffer; it must not be colder than 25 °C, otherwise the dough will be sluggish.
    Evidence
    Scald temperature, start/end times.
  5. Parallel with previous step
    Timer to next step: 10 h–14 h in parallel with the previous step — watch both

    Before building the opara, set aside 15–20 g of mature starter into a clean jar and put it in the fridge — this is the reserve mother starter for future bakes. The remainder goes into the opara. Mix 100 g of whole-grain rye flour, 100 g of water, and 20 g of active starter from refreshment 3. Cover and hold at 24–27 °C until domed with a lactic smell.

    Step ingredients

    Whole-grain rye flour
    100 g
    Water
    100 g
    Active rye starter (from refreshment 3)
    20 g from the remainder after the reserve
    Yield
    about 220 g of sourdough opara
    Target
    Opara has risen 1.8–2.5 times, bubbles throughout the mass, a sour rye smell.
    Check
    If the kitchen is cool, keep closer to 27 °C. If the opara clearly over-matured and dropped sharply, you can still use it, but the crumb will be more sour.
    Evidence
    Time, temperature.
  6. Timer to next step: 5 min

    Into the Kenwood bowl put all of the opara (about 220 g), all of the cooled scald (about 265 g), 130 g of water, 9 g of salt, and 4 g of coriander. Stir to uniform, then add 200 g of whole-grain rye flour and 100 g of first-grade wheat flour. Mix with the K-beater on Min for 1–2 minutes to full uniform.

    Step ingredients

    Sourdough opara
    all, about 220 g
    Scald
    all, about 265 g, cooled to 35–40 °C
    Water
    130 g
    Whole-grain rye flour
    200 g
    First-grade wheat flour
    100 g
    Salt
    9 g
    Ground coriander
    4 g
    Dough yield
    about 920 g
    Target
    Thick sticky porridge with no dry spots; dough temperature after mixing 26–28 °C.
    Check
    Do not look for a gluten window. If the scald is still hot (above 45 °C), cool it before mixing, otherwise opara acidity will drop.
    Evidence
    Dough temperature after mixing, scald temperature at mix time, texture photo.
  7. Timer to next step: 5 min

    Grease the pan, transfer the dough, and level the top with a wet spoon or wet fingers.

    Step ingredients

    Dough after mixing
    all of it, about 920 g
    Pan grease
    thin layer, not part of the formula
    Target
    Even surface, clear starting height.
    Check
    Mark dough height in the pan and the dough mass.
    Evidence
    Side photo, height mark, mass.
  8. Timer to next step: 1 h 30 min–2 h 30 min

    Proof at 24–28 °C until rise of 1.5–1.8 times. The sugar of the scald speeds up fermentation compared with R1-C3.

    Step ingredients

    Dough in the pan
    all of it, about 920 g
    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Top slightly domes, small cracks or burst bubbles appear.
    Check
    Track state, not only time; the scald can speed up the proof to 1.5 hours.
    Evidence
    Kitchen temperature, height.
  9. Timer to next step: 10 min

    Place the pan on the rack, apply steam at the start. Bake 10 minutes at 250 °C.

    Step ingredients

    Dough after the proof
    all of it in the pan
    Steam
    water for steam; not part of the dough formula
    Target
    Starting heat and moist surface.
    Check
    When the timer rings: remove steam and drop to 200 °C.
    Evidence
    Timer, oven mode.
  10. Timer to next step: 30 min

    Bake 30 minutes at 200 °C without additional steam.

    Step ingredients

    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Main heat-through of the loaf and setting the shape.
    Check
    When the timer rings: drop to 170 °C. If the surface darkens fast from the malt, cover with foil.
    Evidence
    Timer, crust state.
  11. Timer to next step: 30 min

    After the switch to 170 °C, set the timer for 30 minutes. At the end of the timer, do the first probe check.

    Step ingredients

    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Understand how much is left until 98 °C in the center of the crumb.
    Check
    If already 98 °C — move to removal. If less — add 5-minute increments.
    Evidence
    Probe and timer.
  12. Timer to next step: 5 min

    If after the first check it is below 98 °C inside, set the timer for 5 minutes and check again. Repeat to 98–99 °C.

    Step ingredients

    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    98–99 °C in the center of the crumb.
    Check
    If the top darkens faster than doneness, cover with foil.
    Evidence
    Probe, timer.
  13. Timer to next step: 12 h–24 h

    Cool on a rack for 2–3 hours uncovered, then wrap in cotton/linen. Slice no earlier than 12 hours, better 24 hours.

    Step ingredients

    Finished bread
    the whole loaf after rest
    New ingredients
    none added
    Target
    Crumb moist, dense but not gummy; the knife does not stick; the sweetness of the scald and the acidity of the opara are visible.
    Check
    Describe sweetness, acidity, malt aroma, coriander, density. If an early slice is gummy, slice again after 24 hours.
    Evidence
    Tasting note.

Journal export

After the bake, copy this text and send it to me so I can update the journal and conclusions.