Are small pin pricks on the surface of rye bread normal?
Rye bread does indeed tend to have a denser crumb because of its low gluten content, which can lead to those small pin pricks you're noticing. This is completely normal and is a result of the dough's fermentation and hydration level.
Answered by Hendrik, The Bread Code
From the book
A flat bread is in most cases related to your gluten network breaking down fully. This is not bad; this means you are eating a fully fermented food. However, from a taste and consistency perspective, it might be that your bread tastes too sour, or is not fluffy anymore. Please also note that you can only make bread with great oven spring when making wheat based doughs. When starting with this hobby I always wondered why my rye breads would turn out so flat. Yes, rye has gluten, but small particles called pentosans (arabinoxylan and beta-glucan) [ 10 ]. They prevent the dough from developing a gluten network it can with wheat. Your efforts will be in vain, and your dough will stay flat. Only spelt- and wheat-based doughs have the capability of retaining the CO 2 created by the fermentation.
Where this was asked
OVER FERMENTED SOURDOUGH - The Signs and ConsequencesRelated questions
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