Sourdough Marble Rye Bread

This sourdough marble rye bread recipe is naturally fermented and uses both bread flour and rye flour. This bread is perfect for Reuben sandwiches!

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Bread, Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 45

Bulk Fermentation: 14

Total Time: 15 15

Servings: loaf

Author: Jamie

Equipment

2 10" x 6" loaf pans I use one for the bread and the second one to cover while baking
2 Mixing Bowls
Stand Mixer

Ingredients

For the Sourdough Rye Bread Dough

▢ 100 g active sourdough starter about ½ cup
▢ 300 g water 1¼ cups
▢ 48 g honey about 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
▢ 150 g rye flour about 1¼ cups
▢ 300 g bread flour about 2½ cups
▢ 10 g salt about 1¾ teaspoons fine sea salt
▢ 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil divided, for greasing the bowls

For the Dark Rye Dough

▢ 5 g unsweetened cocoa powder about 2 teaspoons
▢ 10 g molasses about 1½ teaspoons

Instructions

Prepare the Sourdough Rye Dough

Combine the ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the active sourdough starter, water, honey, rye flour, bread flour, and salt. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined and a shaggy dough begins to form.
Knead the dough. Continue kneading with the dough hook on low to medium-high speed for approximately 5–7 minutes, until the dough becomes smoother, more cohesive, and slightly elastic. Because this dough contains rye flour, it may remain a little sticky and will not develop the same elasticity as a traditional white sourdough bread dough. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can do this by hand.

Divide and Prepare the Marble Rye Dough

Divide the dough. Lightly grease two medium-sized bowls with the extra virgin olive oil. Remove the dough from the stand mixer and divide it into two approximately equal portions.
Prepare the light rye dough. Place one half of the dough into one of the prepared bowls. This will be the lighter portion of the marble rye bread. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out.
Prepare the dark rye dough. Return the remaining half of the dough to the bowl of the stand mixer. Add the cocoa powder and molasses. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until the cocoa powder and molasses are fully incorporated and the dough becomes a uniform dark brown color. You can also knead these ingredients into the dough by hand, if preferred.
Rest the dough. Transfer the dark rye dough into the second greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow both bowls of dough to rest at room temperature for approximately 1 hour.

Stretch and Folds and Bulk Fermentation

Perform stretch and folds. After the initial 1-hour rest, perform one set of stretch and folds on each portion of dough. To do this, gently grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until all four sides have been stretched and folded. Repeat this process with the second bowl of dough.
Perform an additional set, if needed. If either portion of dough still feels loose or lacks structure, perform a second set of stretch and folds approximately 30 minutes later.
Allow the dough to bulk ferment. Cover both bowls and allow the dough to continue fermenting at room temperature until it has increased in volume by approximately 50–75%, feels aerated, and shows visible signs of fermentation. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the activity of your sourdough starter, bulk fermentation may take approximately 6–10 hours total, including the initial rest and stretch and folds.
Avoid allowing the dough to overproof, as this can result in a dense or collapsed loaf. Always watch the dough, not the clock!

Shape the Sourdough Marble Rye Bread

Prepare the loaf pan. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang along the sides to make it easy to lift the finished loaf from the pan.
Roll out the light dough. Transfer the lighter portion of dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll it into a rectangle, keeping the dough relatively even in thickness. Aim for a rectangle approximately 9 inches wide so it will fit comfortably into your loaf pan once rolled.
Roll out the dark dough. On the same lightly floured surface, roll the dark rye dough into a rectangle that is slightly smaller than the light dough rectangle.
Layer the dough. Carefully place the dark rye dough rectangle directly on top of the light rye dough rectangle, leaving a small border of light dough visible around the edges. Gently press the layers together to help them adhere.
Create the marble swirl. Starting from one of the shorter ends, tightly roll the layered dough into a log, similar to rolling cinnamon rolls. Keep the roll snug to create a distinct spiral pattern without trapping large pockets of air. Pinch the seam and ends closed to help the loaf hold its shape.
Transfer to the loaf pan. Place the rolled dough into the parchment-lined loaf pan with the seam facing down.

Second Rise or Overnight Cold Fermentation

Choose your proofing method. Cover the loaf pan loosely with plastic wrap or a reusable cover. Allow the loaf to complete its second rise at room temperature, or place it in the refrigerator overnight for a cold fermentation.
Same-day baking: Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until the top of the loaf is just above the rim of the pan. This may take approximately 2–4 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.
Overnight cold fermentation: Place the covered loaf pan in the refrigerator for approximately 8–12 hours. When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to finish rising at room temperature until the top of the dough is just above the rim of the loaf pan. The time needed will depend on how much the dough rose during refrigeration.

Bake the Marble Rye Bread

Preheat the oven. Once the dough is nearly finished rising, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cover the loaf pan. Remove the plastic wrap. If you have a second loaf pan of the same size, carefully invert it over the top of the pan containing the dough to create a covered baking environment. This is known as the double loaf pan method. It helps retain moisture and steam during the initial portion of baking, encouraging better oven spring and a softer crust. Make sure the top pan allows enough room for the bread to rise without touching it.
Bake covered. Place the loaf pan into the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes with the second loaf pan covering the bread.
Finish baking uncovered. Carefully remove the top loaf pan, watching for escaping steam. Continue baking for approximately 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 200–205°F (93–96°C). If the crust begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil during the final minutes of baking.
Cool before slicing. Remove the bread from the oven and carefully lift it out of the loaf pan using the parchment paper. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This resting period allows the crumb to finish setting and helps prevent a gummy texture.
Slice and enjoy. Once cooled, slice the sourdough marble rye bread with a serrated bread knife. Enjoy it fresh, toasted with butter, or as the base for your favorite sandwiches.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal

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