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A Finnish Rye Round

A Finnish Rye Round

A bubbling leaven tonight, thin slices tomorrow
Author:
Austin Welsh-Graham
| Source:
The Toasty Book of Bread
Categories: The Toasty Book of Bread Regional Route Cooking Method Bread Form Main Material Leavening Collection
Tags: Northern and Eastern Europe Oven-baked Round loaf Rye Sourdough The Toasty Book of Bread
Ingredients
50 g Rye sourdough starter (Active at 100% hydration.)100 g Water (For overnight leaven.)60 g Wholemeal rye flour (For leaven.)300 g Water (For final dough.)500 g Wholemeal rye flour (For final dough.)10 g Fine salt10 g Wholemeal rye flour (Extra for shaping.)
Description

A bread's beginning may be a little dough left in a bowl or a dried piece waiting for water. Finnish leivän juuri, the bread's root, gives that reserve a fitting name. It is small enough to carry, yet it can hold a place in a family's kitchen across many baking days.

A Finnish rye round begun with an overnight leaven, gathered as a sticky paste and sliced the next day. Makes 1 loaf, about 850-900 g baked.

Recipe
Preferment and starter preparation
1
Combine starter with leaven flour and water. Cover loosely overnight at 24-26 °C until bubbling and pleasantly sour.
Mixing and kneading
1
Add final water, salt and flour. Mix firmly until uniform, about 5-10 minutes. Cover and ferment 3-6 hours until clearly expanded.
Shaping and layering
1
On a rye-dusted surface, gather gently into a low round about 18 cm wide. Put on parchment, cover and prove roughly 2-3 hours until puffed, with fine surface cracks. Prick with a fork.
Cooking
1
Preheat oven and heavy tray to 225 °C. Slide loaf onto tray. Bake 20 minutes, lower to 180 °C and bake about 40 minutes more. A firm base and 96-98 °C centre help judge doneness.
Cooling and serving
1
Cool on a rack beneath a clean cloth. Wait until the next day to slice.
Notes

An overnight leaven, 5–9 hours next day, then overnight cooling. A bowl, scraper and heavy baking tray. Contains rye.

A round with a close crumb

This recipe converts volume measures to grams. Adjust the water to suit your flour’s absorption. Expect a sticky, firm paste rather than an elastic ball. Wet hands help gather it without adding handfuls of flour. If unusually dry, mix in water 10 g at a time and record the change.

Austin Welsh-Graham 19 October 2026
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Northern and Eastern Europe Oven-baked Round loaf Rye Sourdough The Toasty Book of Bread
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