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An introduction to rye

28 May 2020

Bread improver
Sapore
Bakery mixes
Recipe
Sourdough

In some regions close to unknown, in others a well-established bread; how come?

Rye breads

Rye bread is amongst the most appreciated bread in northern European countries. Take Denmark, for example. Puratos Technical Advisor, Rene Nielsen, mentions that some Danish people like their rye bread so much, they take it with them when going abroad. Likewise, centuries ago the Vikings did the same when setting sail. Provisions of smoked fish and rye flatbreads provided the Vikings a long-lasting food supply for their journeys.

Some Danish people like their rye bread so much, they take it with them when going abroad.

Resists cold climates

Rye withstands a cold climate better than other grains do. No wonder most rye is grown in Northern Europe. Before modern transportations made wheat globally available, rye was often the only option for bread baking. That’s why, over the centuries, northern European bakers mastered the skills of making excellent rye bread. For instance, bakers discovered that rye bread require a lot of steam in the baking process. Therefore, in Iceland, they started sealing their bread and bake them underground using the steam from natural geothermal springs. Bakers also discovered the benefits of using good sourdoughs in their rye bread.  

Today, all over the world, people are discovering the benefits of rye bread. For instance, rye is high in fibers. These fibers in rye bread bring a lot of healthiness. Rye fiber is beneficial for digestion and can help prevent constipation. Whether it is because of its great taste, or the health; rye bread is a bread crafted to perfection, that can be appreciated by everyone.

Intense flavour

Good rye bread has a distinctive, complex flavour. Sourdough adds the slightly sour, fruity and malted flavours, making the bread extra rich. The acidity coming from sourdough helps limit the starch breakdown and makes the dough more elastic. This way the rye bread can manage to retain the carbon dioxide better. Furthermore, sourdough improves the slice-ability of the bread.

Ingredients to start your rye category

At Puratos we propose a wide range of rye sourdoughs and rye grains such as Softgrain Sprouted Rye, enabling you to include the benefits of rye in many of your breads, year-round. Sapore Oracolo is an example of an outstanding sourdough that helps to improve rye breads. Sapore Oracolo helps the rise of the bread and lends it rye notes and a prickling acidity.

Visit our website or contact your local Puratos representative to find out more about Sapore and Softgrain.