Nick Chua – The Bread Guide: The ultimate source for home bread baking

In this post, we have collaborated with Master Baker Chef Nick Chua, a highly acclaimed artisan baker who was trained in Hanover, Germany to skilfully master the art of bread and pastries. This article will cover the recipe and method for making 100% Germany Rye bread the Nick Vina way Courtesy of Nick Chua In his bakery Nick Vina Artisan bakery which is included in our list of the best bread bakeries in the world, you will find plenty of top-class German bread: blackish, moist with a distinctive sour malty taste. Using natural sourdough baking techniques and selected wheat flour types such as non-GMO German Wheat Flour, German Rye Flour, and German Spelt Flour, Nick Vina Artisan Bakery is more than the average commercial bakeries as it glorifies other European favorites like Italian Ciabatta and Foccacia, German Volkorn Rye, Danish Pastry and many more It is his perseverance, creativity, and knowledge of making German Rye Bread he brings here to share with you all. Here To Present His 100% German Rye Bread Is Nick Chua Nick Chua Sourdough rye is undoubtedly delicious, especially when paired with smoked or pickled fish, or a creamy butter or cheese. German Rye flour lack gluten which means that it needs a lot of help in the raising and development to be anything other than a surprisingly nutritious brickbat. Here is how we make the 100% German Rye bread at Nick Vina Ingredients for 4 loaf bread : Part 1 - Freshening/ preparing leaven Sourdough starter 300gGerman Rye Flour: 75gWater: 75gMix them togetherLet it rest for 3 hours at room temperature Part 2 - (First feeding ) First Build: 450g ( part 1 )German Rye Flour:400gWater: 400gAdd in Part 1 to Part 2 and rest for 24hours Part 3 - Preparing the dough First Build Sourdough (Part2): 1250gGerman Rye Flour: 1200gWater: 800gSea Salt: 25g Our bakers will do the starter one day ahead meaning we leave the dough overnight for 24hrs. There is no point for extensive kneading because there is little gluten to develop in a rye bread dough. Nevertheless, it is worth making sure everything is well mixed. Here are the steps to prepare our 100% German Rye bread Prepare the starter 24 hours ahead.(Part 1 & 2)Weigh all ingredients adding in the starter and beat using the all-in method..Mix all well (roughly 6-7mins or less depending on the quantity)Rest the dough for about an hour depending on room temperature. (Singapore average temperature 27-31˚CShape to the desired shape and proof for about 45min-1 hour Lightly flour on a proofing basket. Form the dough into a ball shape by turning it on the work surface while tucking the bottom edge underneath, then cover with a Flaxseed linen cloth. Leave in a wooden proofing cabinet relatively warm, but draught-free, until roughly 1.5 times the size about 45min to 1 hour. Please take note it probably will not double the dough size. Pre-heat the oven to 280C degrees Celsius or 535 Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or Bread loader with linen and turn the dough out on to it so the floured base is on top. Slash and score with a knife. Bake for 10min at 280 degrees Celsius ( 535 Fahrenheit ). Decrease to 250 degrees Celsius or 480 Fahrenheit. Bake for about 45min to 1 hour 15min depends on the size. Once done, cool the bread for 1 day before cutting as there is still a lot of moisture in the bread. Thus, it will stick to your knife and look uncook. A perfect 100% German Rye is done Here at the bread guide, we love German Rye bread. This bread has a rich history and so many health benefits going for it (not to mention the taste and texture if done properly ) I just can't resist. Tips You Should Consider When Making Rye Bread Like everything else in bread baking, the end result depends on many factors including the type of flour you use, the ratio of the different ingredients in your recipe and so on. Choose a high-quality fresh flour Every baker and chef will tell you that the most important thing about baking and cooking is using the fresh highest quality ingredients. The case of German Rye bread is no different. The type and quality of flour play a major role in the quality and appearance of the bread of the final product. Flour ratio and mixes The German Rye is not for everyone. Some of you might find it too dense or too moist to your liking. If you want a bit of a lighter rye bread, just add some white flour to it. Play around with the ratio or percentages if you like. Try these combinations: 30% Rye and 70% white for rye that is still quite heavy but not as dense at the 100% Rye. You will still get that greyish brown color in the dough and the nutty earthy rye flavor will still be dominant50 - 50 rye and white flour. This will be a nice balance between airy and fluffier bread. The nutty flavor of the rye will still be there but the color will be lighter.70% White flour 30% Rye flour will yield a very light right bread. Airy with a light flavor and color of the rye. In this bread, I like to use a tangier or sourer sourdough starter. If you want to learn how to make your bread more or less sour you can read about it in our article here on how to make your sourdough bread more or less sour Benefits Of German Rye Bread If you chose to eat German rye bread, you certainly chose to eat nutritious bread. The German Rye and any Rye bread for that matter have many health benefits, including and not limited to: Rich in minerals and vitamins sourceHigh on fiber which can contribute to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol sourceKeeps you full for longer periods of time, source. Low (NOT free) on gluten if you decide you want to cut down sourcefor more health benefits you can check out this post You get the picture: not only yummy but can go a long way for your body. History of German Rye Bread The beginning of German bread dates back to the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, when farmers discovered the rye, which shows durability and grows in cool and wet areas, prevails damp and drought if needed. This definition of a cool and wet area is prevalent in many European countries, mainly in the north and east of the continent, and so the rye bread has grown and has been very popular in Russia Poland and Scandinavia. The United States, a country built on immigrants, got to know German Rye bread along with the Germans who came to fulfill their American dream and today German Rye bread can be found in all the best leading bakeries in the United States. Lastly - Add seeds, You Won't Regret It! German bread is usually sprinkled with seeds whatever your preference must be (I personally love sunflower seeds in my German Rye), but popular seeds to incorporating into your German Rye can be nuts and raisins, flax seeds, caraway seeds, linen seeds or other popular options like cracked rye, poppy seeds, sesame, pumpkin's seeds, hazelnuts, and barley. The reason German bread is usually combined with seeds is simple: they go so well together because of the naturally earthy flavors of Rye flour and the nutty flavor. It just makes for a match made in heaven! This is your time to get creative and create mixes that will create a small party in your mouth... Bon Appetite!