Recipes Sites Ingredients

Pumpernickel Bread

Source

Ingredients

  • 1 c (200 g) sourdough starter
  • 3 c (375 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 c (125 g) rye flour
  • 1/4 c molasses (64 carbs)
  • 1/2 c (118 ml) espresso, or strong coffee
  • 1 T caraway seeds
  • 1 1/4 c (296 ml) water
  • 1 T kosher salt

Method

  • Toast the caraway seeds in a dry pan, on a low flame, just until they smell toasty.

  • Brew espresso, or strong coffee.

  • Mix coffee, molasses and cool water.

  • Mix rye, white flour, and caraway seeds.

  • Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until combined, and let rest (covered with a tea towel) for 30 minutes.

  • Add the salt, and the starter. Knead the starter into the dough, with a wet hand, just until it feels uniform. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

  • Stretch and fold the dough over itself, in the bowl, three or four times, with a wet hand. Cover for 30 more minutes. Repeat this step until three folding operations have been completed. Let it rest for 30 more minutes.

  • Sprinkle flour around the dough, in the bowl. Flour the counter, and your hands. Turn the dough out, using one hand to free it from the bowl, and the other to tip it on to your work surface.

  • Gather the dough into a ball by tucking the edges under. Pull the ball towards yourself, stretching the outer surface. Turn and repeat, a few times.

  • Line a bowl or basket with your tea towel, and flour it liberally. Set the dough into the bowl, and flour the top. Fold the towel over it, and let it rise in the fridge, over night.

  • In the morning, move the dough to the counter, and place your cast iron dutch oven (lid on)in the oven. Preheat to 500F. Let the dutch oven continue heating for 20 minutes after the oven reaches temperature.

  • Sprinkle corn-meal or semolina flour (or just regular flour will do) on a piece of parchment paper. Flour your hands and tip the dough onto one hand by lifting the tea towel, and flipping the dough over. Place it on the floured parchment paper.

  • Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife to a depth of about 1/2 inch. You can make one or two long parallel scores, an “X”, a swirl, or really any pattern you desire.

  • Pull the dutch oven out, and remove the lid. Pick up the dough by the edges of the parchment paper and lower it into the dutch oven. Replace the lid and bake for 13 minutes.

  • Remove the lid, drop the oven to 450F and bake for another 30(?) minutes. Lift the bread out with a dish towel, and cool on a rack for at least one hour, preferably two. Only cut into it when it’s warm if you plan to eat the entire thing.

Notes

600 g total flour
514 g total water => 85.6% hydration

2023/02/28

  • Added 9g gluten, 6g diastatic malt (in place of AP).
  • Bake covered at 500F for 18 minutes, then uncovered at 450F for 30 min
  • Still a bit underdone, try 20/35 minutes next time?
  • Weight after baking 1060 g, ~515 total carbs, cf = .49

2023/03/08

  • Added 129 g (1c) raisins instead of the caraway seeds
  • Baked at 520 covered 20 minutes, then 475 uncovered for 35 minutes
  • Quite dark (too dark?) crust, and still a bit moist/undercooked in the middle, maybe 500 for 18 then 450 for 40?
  • Weight after baking 1186, 615 carbs, cf = 0.52