Report on Old School Deli Rye (Ginsberg pps 80-82):
The recipe appears to have some timing issues, it says to make the stage 1 sponge in the morning of the first day, then make the stage 2 sponge 12 hours later, in the afternoon, and bake about 6 hours later on day 2. I think stage 1 should be in the evening of day 1, stage 2 in the morning of day 2 and the final dough and baking in the afternoon of day 2.
It makes two loaves that I shaped as more of a batard than the football shape recommended in the text, they were 10 x 5 x 2 1/2 inches and weighed around 660 grams each (23 1/4 ounces). (My shaping method produces more slices that are similar in size, which I think is better for sandwiches.)
The dough seemed a bit softer than I expected at final shaping, though it rose reasonably well a stretch-and-fold might have tightened the dough and improved the height a little.
I think they could have been baked a little longer, the slice shows some dark areas that are areas of moisture that a little more time in the oven might have eliminated.
This recipe uses a cornstarch wash put on right after baking. I've never been a fan of cornstarch as a wash for bread, but it does not appear to have a major impact on this recipe.
The recipe uses both caraway seed and ground caraway, and they add a slight bitterness to the bread, but we like caraway in rye breads.
So far this is the best tasting loaf I've made out of the Ginsberg book, it lives up to the promise of being a New York deli-style rye. It toasts very well. I could see this bread making good Reubens, and it is likely to become part of the repertoire here.
Attachments:
deli-rye1.jpg
deli-rye2.jpg