Holstein Fine Rye/Holsteinisches Feinbrot (Germany)

“Fine,” is one of those words that has a multitude of meanings. It can mean “good,” as in “How are you?” “I’m fine.” It can mean sophisticated or refined, as in “fine dining” or “fine jewelry;” or it can describe a smooth, silky texture that’s the opposite of “coarse.” In the case of Holstein Fine Rye, it’s all of the above.

The bread, which comes from the region where Germany meets Denmark, is truly a fine loaf. Where northern German and Danish breads often are dark, coarse-textured and very sweet or very sour, this one is light in color, silky in texture and subtle in flavor. Low-gluten pastry flour contributes to a tender, almost cake-like crumb that offers the rich sweetness of whole milk, the nuttiness of buckwheat and the muted spiciness of white rye flour.

This is truly a bread that shines not just as a complement to lighter-flavored foods, such as jams, soft cheeses, poultry and fish, but also with a distinctive personality that can stand up to the strong flavors of charcuterie, aged cheeses and savory soups and stews. In all, a very fine loaf in every sense of the word.

Buckwheat Gruel:

Bring the milk to a near-boil (be alert for foaming), and stir in the cracked buckwheat. Cover and simmer over lowest heat until the buckwheat softens, 15-20 minutes.

Final Dough:

Add the remaining milk to the buckwheat gruel and let stand until the temperature is no more than 105°F/41°C), 10-20 minutes. When the mixture has cooled, stir in the yeast.

In the mixer bowl, combine the flours and salt and make a well in the center. Add the buckwheat mixture and stir some of the flour in to form a slurry. Let stand until fermentation has begun and bubbles show on the surface, 10-15 minutes.

Use the dough hook at low (KA2) speed to mix the dough until it’s moderately stiff and gathers around the dough hook, 6-8 minutes.

Cover and ferment at room temperature (70°F/21°C) until the dough expands to 1½ times its original volume, 40-45 minutes (less in summer).

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a log, then place it in a well-greased 9″x4″x4″/23x10x10 cm. Pullman loaf pans or 9″x5″x3″/23x13x8 cm standard loaf pan.

Cover and proof at room temperature until the dough has expanded to 1½ times its original volume. Brush the top crust with milk and score it in a diamond pattern to a depth of at least ¼”/0.6 cm.

Preheat the oven to 390F/200C with the baking surface in the middle. Bake until the loaf thumps when tapped with a finger and the internal temperature is at least 198°F/92°C, 50-55 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool thoroughly before slicing.

Baker’s Percentages: