Borodinsky - Russian sourdough rye bread
Recipes,  Sourdough

Borodinsky Sourdough Rye Bread

Borodinsky sourdough rye bread is possibly one of the easiest sourdough breads to make at home. It doesn’t require any kneading, as the dough is quite wet so all you need to do is mix it with a spoon and let it proof. The only time consuming element is transforming your white sourdough starter to a rye sourdough starter. You need to plan this stage in advance as it takes about two days. But after that, you’re ready to go.

The recipe below is inspired from Andrew Whitley‘s book “Bread Matters: Why and How to Make Your Own” which is available on bookdepository.com, with free world wide delivery. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in home baking.

Borodinsky - Russian sourdough rye bread
Borodinsky – Russian sourdough rye bread

Traditionally, Borodinsky bread is flavoured only with coarsely ground corianders seeds. The addition of malt extract and molasses brings extra flavour and stickiness to the bread. I used marmite as a substitute for the malt extract and black treacle which is a substitute for molasses. I have also added ground coffee as an extra flavour to my bread. As a side note, I’m not so sure about the marmite, so next time I intend to replace it with black treacle all together. Of course, this is my personal preference – you can keep the marmite if you like. The below recipe is for one small loaf – so make sure you use an appropriate loaf pan, or adjust the recipe if you only have a large loaf pan.

As always, I’m here if you have any questions about sourdough bread or cooking in general. Use the form below to leave a comment or ask any questions. Also, feel free to share your creations on social media and tag me @mintandrosemary.

Borodinsky - Russian sourdough rye bread
Borodinsky – sourdough rye bread with whipped butter

Borodinsky Sourdough Rye Bread

Andra Constantinescu
Also known as 'Black Russian', this bread is ideal for breakfast, served with plenty of whipped butter and Malson sea salt flakes.

Ingredients

Day 1: 9AM: transforming white sourdough starter to 100% rye sourdough starter – stage 1

  • 50 g white sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 25 g rye flour organic
  • 25 g strong white flour organic, 13.4% protein
  • 50 g water filtered or bottled, room temperature

Day 1: 9PM: transforming white sourdough starter to 100% rye sourdough starter – stage 2

  • 50 g sourdough starter from the above preparation // discard the surplus
  • 50 g rye flour organic
  • 50 g water filtered or bottled, room temperature

Day 2: 9AM: transforming white sourdough starter to 100% rye sourdough starter – stage 3

  • 50 g sourdough starter from the above preparation // discard the surplus
  • 50 g rye flour organic
  • 50 g water filtered or bottled, room temperature

Day 2: 9PM: preparing the rye levain

  • 25 g rye sourdough starter from the above preparation // discard the surplus
  • 75 g rye flour organic
  • 150 g water warm, 40°C

Day 3: 10AM (approx): making the Borodinsky sourdough bread INGREDIENTS FOR ONE SMALL LOAF

  • 270 g rye levain from the above preparation
  • 230 g rye flour organic
  • 120 g warm water 40°C
  • 40 g molases
  • 30 g malt extract
  • 20 g coriander seeds coarsely ground
  • 5 g salt
  • 15 g ground coffee optional
  • butter

Instructions

For the rye sourdough starter (day 1: 9AM to day 2: 9AM)

  • Build up the 100% rye sourdough starter by following up the sourdough refreshing quantities mentioned above.

For the rye sourdough levain (day 2: 9PM)

  • Mix 25g of rye sourdough starter with 75g rye flour and 125g warm water (40°C). Cover with cling film and let it ferment on the kitchen counter for 10-12 hours, until it gets fluffy and bubbly.

For the Borodinsky rye sourdough bread (day 3: approx 10AM)

  • Preheat the oven at 220°C.
  • Grease a small non stick loaf pan with butter and sprinkle some coarsely ground coriander seeds inside.
  • In a large bowl mix the rye sourdough levain with 230g rye flour, 120g water, 40g molases, 30g malt extract, 10g coarsely ground coriander seeds, 15g coffee and 5g salt.
  • Transfer the bread mix into the pan, cover it with cling film and let it proof at room temperature until it doubles in size.
  • Sprinkle some more coarsely ground coriander seeds on top of the loaf and bake for 10 minutes at 22°C followed by another 25-30 minutes at 200°C.
  • Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Taking pictures of food is just as fun as cooking (and eating) it, so follow me on Instagram @mintandrosemary for my latest foodie shenanigans, ongoing projects, stories and glimpses of my everyday life.

And if you’re looking for new kitchen tools or gadgets, head over to my Amazon Influencer page for a list of carefully curated tools, utensils and cookery books. Do feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions, or if you’re interested in the latest kitchen tools/utensils/gadgets. I’ll be happy to help!

Andra Constantinescu

I am a classically trained chef, with a BSc in Culinary Arts and a Masters Degree in Food Business Management.

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