This delicious honey and rye sourdough bread, is inspired by a recipe from the modern Polish recipe book – Wild Honey and Rye by Ren Behan. The bread has a lovely sweetness from the honey, especially in the caramelised crust. The crumb is soft and light from the milk. A delicious loaf!
Once I started getting the hang of making sourdough I don’t ever really want to eat any other sort of bread. We do have a packet of bread yeast for emergencies, but nothing beats the long slow rise of sourdough for flavour; admittedly, it does take a while to make, but it’s a mainly hands off process – leave the dough to do its own thing and get on with something else. Making sourdough rewards the baker with a delicious loaf that is infinitely superior to the mass produced fast rise bread that is sadly all too popular.
Learning to work with sourdough takes time and practice; you need to get to know the process, get a feel for the how your starter behaves and also how your location and the seasons affect your loaf. The majority of our recipes are fuss free and easy for the less confident cook, but for sourdough we really do recommend you take the time to do a course, and get hands on with some dough.
This honey and rye sourdough bread is made with a 50:50 mix of rye and white bread flour; the liquid is a mix of milk and water at the same ratio. By cutting the rye flour with white bread flour, the dough becomes much easier to handle compared to one of 100% rye. And by not using a wholemeal wheat flour the helps give the loaf a lighter crumb, which is also helped by adding milk to the liquid.
With 300ml of liquid to 400g of flour – a hydration bakers’ percentage of 75%, this is a relatively wet dough, but I find that I get a better crumb with a looser and more hydrated dough, especially when using flour mixtures like this rye/wheat mixture.
The easiest way to make sure that the honey is well mixed in is to dissolve it into the water then whisk through the ripe rye leaven, reserve 20ml of the liquid to add with the salt once the dough has some time for an initial rise.
There is no need to premix the flours, just add slowly them to the leaven, honey and water mixture, slowly mixing as you go into a rough, shaggy ball of dough. Leave for an hour then add the salted water.
When adding the salt stretch and fold the dough a few times to incorporate it into the loaf. At this stage, the dough will still be very underdeveloped, looking loose and with the characteristic slightly gel-like rye consistency. The addition of honey didn’t speed up the bulk raise: our kitchen was a little cooler on the day we baked, so this took about 6 hours.
Form the dough into a loaf shape, allowing to rest on the counter top (seam side down) for 15 minutes then transfer to a banneton coated with rye flour to prove for about 2 hours. We usually cover out banneton with a shower cap.
Bake in a preheated baking cloche (you could also use a Dutch oven) for 40 minutes, removing the lid half way through.
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And to go on your bread!
- Homemade butter
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Honey and Rye Sourdough Loaf
Ingredients
- 150 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 150 ml milk
- 2 tbsp honey
- 80 g sourdough leaven ((ripe, using equal quantities of flour and water). )
- 200 g rye flour
- 200 g strong white bread flour
Instructions
- Mix the water and milk, and measure and reserve 20 ml. Dissolve the honey into the bulk of the liquid.
- Add the salt to the 20ml reserved liquid, and stir to dissolve.
- Add ripe leaven to the honey, milk and water mixture, and whisk together.
- Add flours to the liquid. Add both types of flour slowly to the liquid, mixing together form a rough dough. Leave for an hour.
- Sprinkle the salt liquid over the dough. Stretch and fold the dough 5–6 times to incorporate into the loaf.
- Leave to rise for 4–6 hours, depending on room temperature. The dough is ready when it has visibly increased in size, and feels light and spongy to the touch.
- Form the dough into a loaf shape and rest it (seam down) for 10–15 minutes. Coat
the inside of a banneton (proving basket) with rye flour. Transfer your loaf, seam up, into the banneton to prove for a further 1–2 hours. It's ready when the dough just starts to lose springiness. - Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220°C/Gas mark 7 for 25 minutes with a dish of boiling water set in the bottom of the oven, or use a Dutch oven or preheated baking cloche.
- Turn the oven down to 200°C/Gas mark 6 for a further 20 minutes, and remove the lid of the baking pot. The loaf is ready when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Allow
to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use up leftover leaven in our leftover sourdough leaven loaf
The recipe for this honey and rye sourdough bread was inspired by by friend Ren’s debut cookbook – Wild Honey and Rye, published last month by Pavilion books, you can read the story behind the book here.
Ren was born in the UK to Polish parents, who taught Ren about her heritage and, of course, Polish food. I think that is this heritage that make the book so special and also so accessible to a British audience. Her modern Polish recipes are seasonal, fresh, light, tempting and totally achievable with ingredients from the supermarket (most of which have a Polish section these days), I find the modern twist on the classics that she grew up with both refreshing and inspiring, this is food for the modern home and family.
The book covers everything from the traditional Polish breakfasts, snacks, soups, hearty classics such as bigos, street food, to puddings, bakes and an entire chapter on flavoured vodkas. Recipes are modern twists in classics inspired from culinary traditions passed down through Ren’s family to recent trips to Poland and the emerging modern food scene.
Core ingredients and flavours appearing through the book are grains (millet, buckwheat, barley abound), seasonal fruit and vegetables – mushrooms, beetroot, leeks, cabbage, berries and apples. Spices and herbs include caraway, poppy seeds and of course dill. Recipes are lightened up, the barley or buckwheat parcels look light and fresh, there are enough twists on pierogi to stop you ever needing more ideas, and the bakes and cakes will see you though afternoon tea and bake sales for years to come.
The book is beautifully, and minimally photographed – concentrating on the food, which adds to the modern and simpler feel.
There are recipes for all tastes (plenty of vegetarian options) and the vast majority of ingredients can be sourced from any British supermarket. Beautifully and personally written with family anecdotes and memories you feel that Ren is in the kitchen chatting to you and guiding you though ever step.
One for every cookbook collection, lovers of Poland and Eastern Europe and armchair culinary travellers. Buy a copy and reappraise Polish food.
We received a copy of Wild honey and Rye from the Publisher, Pavilion. Cover price £20
Another delicious baking recipe inspired by traditional continental cooking is the Rosca de Reyes – Spanish Epiphany Cake.
Or for something quick and easy, make my three ingredient tinned fruit cocktail cake.
Ren Behan
Dear Helen and Ed, thank you so much for your thoughts on Wild Honey and Rye and for adapting the honey and rye loaf so beautifully to a sourdough. Polish bread is most often made with a sourdough starter and I’m sure your tips and explanations will be really helpful to those wanting to have a go. I always really enjoying eating Polish cake with you at Sowa, and I hope to do so again soon.
Helen
Thanks Ren, I am sure that the yeasted version is the way to go for a book, sourdough is so tricky unless you have done a course. More cake at Sowa soon!
Mayah Camara
Wow! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It looks like a really nice one for the winter months. Would go down great with some hot tea or mulled wine!
Helen
it would be perfect with both!
Patrick
This is a type of bread you most likely would eat with a little of butter on it…but I wouldn’t use it as a sandwich,I think it looks amazing just as it is!!
Helen
exactly. all it needs is a smear of butter.
Rhian Westbury
I’ve never been a huge fan of sourdough but I bet with the honey it tastes now x
Helen
It is so god – lovely sweet honey flavour in the crust
Lubka Henry
I love sourdough bread and this one sounds and looks so good!
Helen
It is so so good!
Amy Deverson
This looks so delicious! It looks like a proper hearty bread to have with a hot soup on a cold winters day!
Helen
it is absolutely ideal with soup in the winter!
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
Great tips on working with sourdough, combined with the honey it sounds delicious and a must try recipe!
Helen
Thanks Jemma. It really is very delicious with the honey flavour.
Jagruti
It’s a must try recipe, sounds delicious, I love rustic bread perfect with hearty soup. thank you for the detailed recipe.
Helen
Thanks Jagruti. we love our sourdough here
Lauren
Oh my goodness, I want to take that whole loaf and dip it in a big ol’ bowl of soup right now. YUM!
Helen
it is amazing with soup. Perfect autumnal fodder
Marie | Yay! For Food
I love sourdough bread! The addition of honey sounds wonderful! I wish I had a slice right now.
Helen
this recipe is certainly a keeper!
Sandi
I really wish gluten free would look this good. You did an awesome job on this bread :-)
Helen
you can of course do 100% rye in a sourdough, but it really is far more solid. But still delicious.
Rebecca
oh this looks so delicious! I’ve been on a homemade bread kick lately & will have to try this
Helen
Homemade bread is the best by far!
Brian
Great recipe and some solid tips in the write up. I made mine a little wetter with 30 ml’s of extra water. If you don’t mind working with a wetter dough it can help keep rye from getting too dense. Either way this bread is so flavorful that it won’t last long.
Helen
We generally work with a higher hydration, but a slightly drier dough is so much easier for less experienced bakers to handle.
Kim
Hi, the recipe calls for 150 MLS water AND 150 MLS milk. I used both although the directions dont say anything about the milk. Now after 5 hours I have a soupy mess that will not hold any form. I hope it will work by adding more flour, but I’mnot sure if I should proof it again. Can you please provide more explanation on this? Is it water OR milk? Or are the flour measurements off?
Thank you. Looks like a good recipe, if it works.
Ed
Thank you for your comment. The recipe uses both the water and milk for 300ml of liquid, and a total of 400g of flour, and 80 g of ripe leaven (50/50 water and flour), so it’s a relatively wet dough, but still can be handled and formed into a loaf.
Toni
I have just sampled the Honey Rye loaf sensational!
My husband reckons its the best bread Ive ever made!
I did proof it in the fridge overnight as I ran out of time
and I modified the temp to suit fan forced oven 20 degrees less.
Im thrilled and look forward to experimenting with more recipes on your site.
Thanks!
Helen
I am so pleased Toni, thank you for letting know.
Lotta
Looks delicious! Will try it today or tomorrow. Can I leave it in the fridge overnight instead of 4-6h at room temperature?
Merci! Lotta
Helen
Absolutely. We often raise our sourdough overnight in the fridge.
Kat
Delicious bread! Thanks for the nice, straightforward recipe. Some seeds added in make it even better, in my opinion :)
Cheers,
Kat
Jeni
Hi Helen, I’m planning to make this in a few days….it looks so good!!! When you say rye leaven…..is that just a rye starter or have you used a starter then made a leaven with it? Thank you!
Ed
Yes, I mean fresh, ripe rye starter.
charlotte
Hi,
My bread is much stickier in the middle (both times that i have made this). Is it just a case of cooking for longer? The taste is lovely though.
Helen
Cook for a bit longer, or add a little less. A higher hydration gives more of that lovely sourdough texture, but does make it harder to handle.
Caroline
Loved this recipe! Only the second sourdough bread I’ve made. My starter is made with rye flour so I was glad to find an easy rye sourdough recipe. It’s light and has a sort of fruity taste to it. I liked it because it doesn’t have a very strong sourdough taste to it, unlike regular white sourdough. I only had skimmed milk (1%) on hand so was a little worried that it wouldn’t work but it did!
Sarah
For the “cover for 4-6 hrs” part, can this be left longer? Overnight?
would this work with 100% rye flour?
Helen
You can leave overnight in the fridge to rise. 100% rye is tricky as it doesn’t have gluten and the resultant loaf can be very heavy.