Matthews Stoneground Malted Cotswold Rye Flour, 1.5kg

Matthews Stoneground Malted Cotswold Rye Flour is a blend of dark rye flour and malted rye flakes, stoneground at FWP Matthews' mill in Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire, by a family that has been milling in the Cotswolds for eight generations. The rye grain is grown locally by farmers in the Cotswold Grain Partnership and milled on Matthews' traditional stone mills, which grind the whole grain slowly, preserving the bran, germ and endosperm intact. The malted rye flakes are what set this flour apart: they bring a deep, slightly sweet, earthy complexity that plain rye flour simply doesn't have.

This flour is built for serious bread baking. Use it as the base for a malted rye sourdough - the longer the fermentation, the more the malted flavours come forward, building into something dark, aromatic and genuinely satisfying. It makes a particularly good sandwich loaf: sliceable, with a close crumb and a crust that stays just crisp enough. Blend it with a strong white flour if you want more lift, or lean into its lower gluten content for dense, flavour-forward Nordic-style loaves. It also works in rye crispbreads, seeded crackers and darker soda breads.

Why we love it:

• Made by FWP Matthews at their mill in Shipton-under-Wychwood - eight generations of the same family, milling Cotswold grain since the 1800s
  
• The rye grain is grown locally by Cotswold Grain Partnership farmers in Stow-on-the-Wold, keeping the supply chain genuinely short
  
• Stoneground on Marmaduke and George, Matthews' traditional millstones, which mill 100% of the whole grain slowly - preserving the bran, germ and endosperm, and with them the flavour and nutrition that roller milling strips out
• The malted rye flakes are the key ingredient: rolling and malting the rye before it is milled unlocks a rich, sweet-savoury depth that makes this flour far more interesting than standard rye
• Higher in fibre than ordinary wheat flour, and naturally richer in iron, potassium and B vitamins - rye is one of the more nutritious grains you can bake with
  
• 11% protein

How to use:

• For a malted rye sourdough: combine 300g of this flour with 200g of strong white bread flour, 350ml of warm water, 100g of active starter and 9g of salt. Mix well, rest for 30 minutes, then fold every 30 minutes for two hours. Shape, prove overnight in the fridge (10–14 hours) and bake in a covered Dutch oven at 230°C for 20 minutes lid on, then 20 minutes lid off. The long, cold fermentation gives the malted flavours time to fully develop.
  
• For a simpler yeasted malted rye loaf: mix 350g of this flour with 150g of strong white flour, 7g of fast-action yeast, 10g of salt and 320ml of warm water. Knead for 8 minutes, prove for one hour, shape into a tin and prove for another 45 minutes. Bake at 200°C for 35–40 minutes. Tap the base - it should sound hollow.
  
• For rye crispbreads: combine 200g of this flour with 50ml...