Subrot Alsacien

Ingredients

• 650 g Type 65 wheat flour
• 350 g Type 130 or Type 170 rye flour, plus additional for the levain maintenance
• 680–720 ml water, at approximately 30°C for the final dough; the range reflects 68–72% hydration on 1 kg total flour
• For the rye levain
• 200 g active rye levain, maintained at 80–100% hydration with rye flour; must be lively and actively sour
• 20 g fine sea salt
• 10–20 g caraway seeds, 1–2% of total flour weight; toasted lightly in a dry pan before use
• 1 tbsp dark malt syrup (Malzextrakt), optional traditional addition for depth of colour and balance

Method

1. 1
   Toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant. Set aside to cool. Combine the wheat flour and rye flour in a large bowl. Add the levain and water; mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be noticeably stickier and heavier than an all-wheat dough — this is correct. Add the salt and malt syrup if using, and mix until fully incorporated. The dough is done when it forms a rough, cohesive mass; do not expect the elasticity of a baguette dough. Fold in the cooled caraway seeds.
2. 2
   Bulk-ferment the dough for 2–3 hours at room temperature, performing a set of stretch-and-folds every 30–45 minutes for the first two hours. Alternatively, retard the covered dough overnight in the refrigerator. This is where the bread lives or dies: the levain must be genuinely active — rich in both lactic and acetic acids — or the dough will not develop the acidity, structure, or keeping quality that defines the subrot. At the end of bulk fermentation the dough should have increased perceptibly in volume and smell distinctly sour and complex; if it smells flat or sweet, the culture was not ready.
3. 3
   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a large boule (round) or elongated oval of 1–1.5 kg. Place seam-side up in a well-floured proving basket. Proof for 60–90 minutes at room temperature. The loaf is ready to bake when it has swelled and a finger-poke leaves an indentation that springs back slowly but does not disappear entirely.
4. 4
   Heat the oven to 230°C with a heavy baking vessel or steam-injection arrangement in place. Turn the loaf onto the baking surface or into the vessel; score the top with parallel slashes or a lattice pattern. Introduce steam immediately and bake at 230°C for 10–15 minutes — the crust will begin to set and colour. Reduce the oven to 200°C and bake for a further 30–40 minutes. The loaf is done when it is deep mahogany-brown across the entire surface, sounds hollow when tapped firmly on its base, and feels rigid rather than yielding when squeezed at the sides.
5. 5
   Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely, then rest for a full 24 hours before cutting. The crumb continues to set as the starches retrogradate; cutting earlier produces a gummy, undercooked interior. The finished crumb should be dense, moist, and grey-beige, with an even, close texture and a thick crust that cracks audibly under the knife.