35% Dark Rye Pullman Loaf❤️ Healthy, Low-Calorie & Milky Soft

A milky, soft whole-grain loaf made with 35% rye flour. You can also use this exact formula with whole wheat flour in place of the rye.

Note that the grain used here is true rye (Secale cereale), not purple/black wheat. Rye is packed with nutrition, but its proteins cannot form a cohesive gluten network (see Photo 7), and rye dough feels very sticky, almost like wet clay. Because of this, loaves made with a high percentage of rye won't rise tall and will have a denser, sponge-like crumb. Today I baked both a 35% rye loaf and a 75% rye loaf side by side to compare, along with my earlier 50% rye loaf in Photos 8 and 9.

🎈Below is the formula for the 35% rye loaf, which gives a wonderful balance of nutrition and soft, feathery texture.

🍞Ingredients: (For one 450g Pullman loaf pan)

🍄Tangzhong (Water Roux): Rye flour 20g, water 100g

🍄Autolyse Rye Dough: Rye flour 70g, water 50g

🍄Main Dough: Bread flour 170g, egg 40g, heavy whipping cream 30g, salt 3g, thick plain yogurt 30g, sweetened condensed milk 10g, sugar 15g, butter 20g, instant dry yeast 4g

🍞Instructions:

1️⃣Microwave the Tangzhong ingredients for 30 seconds, stir well, then microwave for another 10 seconds until thickened into a paste. (See my dedicated Tangzhong post for full details).

2️⃣Mix the autolyse rye flour and water together. Cover both the Tangzhong and the hydrated rye dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3️⃣Mix all main dough ingredients except the butter into a rough dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to autolyse.

4️⃣Take the chilled Tangzhong, hydrated rye dough, and main dough out of the fridge and place them all into the stand mixer bowl. Mix until the dough pulls a thick membrane, then add the softened butter and mix until it reaches full windowpane stage. Shape into a smooth ball for the first proof.

5️⃣Once doubled in size, gently degas, divide into 3 equal portions, and let bench rest for 15 minutes. Roll out, coil, and place into the Pullman pan, then transfer to a warm, humid spot for the second proof.

6️⃣Proof until 80% full. Bake at 180°C for about 35 minutes.

🔅Baker's Notes:

1. Because rye lacks gluten-forming ability, pre-gelatinizing part of the rye in a Tangzhong and hydrating the rest, combined with yogurt and heavy whipping cream, makes the dough much easier to handle and gives a tender crumb, while sweetened condensed milk adds a lovely milky aroma.

2. If you love a tall, feathery pull-apart crumb, stick to 35% to 50% rye; anything around 75% rye will have a denser, sponge-like texture.

3. Flour absorption varies, so hold back a little liquid and add it gradually.

4. In Step 3, the main dough will feel quite dry on its own. That is completely normal: do not add extra water, because once it mixes with the high-hydration Tangzhong in Step 4, the consistency will be spot on.

5. Adjust baking temperature and time according to how your oven runs.