Pumpernickel Bread

Ingredients

Dry

• 3 cups Better Batter Flour (420g Bread Flour/ 405g Artisan Blend/480g Original Blend)
• 2 packets (14g) instant or rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 Tbsp (10g) caraway seed
• 1 tsp (6g) salt
• 2 Tbsp (5g) instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cups (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare. Preheat the oven to 450° F. If you are using a pizza stone or baking steel preheat it for about 45 mins before baking.

Prepare the wet ingredients. In a small saucepan, combine water and caraway seed. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool to a lukewarm temperature. Strain out the seeds (if desired), and add enough water to come to a 2 cup measure. Add the oil and molasses and stir well to combine.

Prepare the dry ingredients. Add all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of the stand mixer and stir with paddle attachment on low to combine.

Combine wet and dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix on low until combined, then increase to high speed and beat for 6-8 minutes until dough forms.

1st Prove. Remove dough from bowl and place on a board or countertop surface to bring the dough together. Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to hydrate/rest for at least 20 minutes.

Shape. After the 20 minute hydration/rest this dough should be pretty similar to regular bread dough. On a floured surface, shape the dough into ball shape. Follow one of the shaping methods below:

Shaping method #1: To get the traditional coiled shape of artisan rye bread use a brotform dough rising basket. Rub flour all over the basket. Place the shaped loaf (smooth side down) into the floured basket and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap.

Shaping method #2: Place the shaped loaf into a bowl with a lightly floured tea towel and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap.

2nd Prove. Proof dough for 45 minutes in a warm place until it is doubled in size.

Bake. Remove cloth or plastic wrap. Sprinkle parchment paper with a little flour and carefully turn the proven dough onto the parchment paper so that the shaped side is now up. Score the loaf with a sharp bread knife or a razor blade. Lift the parchment and loaf together into the hot baking stone or cookie sheet so the parchment lines the bottom. Be careful not to touch the pan since it is very hot! Bake for 35-40 minutes, spraying water from a spray bottle into the oven 2 or 3 times during the first 10 minutes to aid in creating the crust. Loaf is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 210.

Cool. Remove the loaf from the oven, transfer it to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before cutting.

This recipe was originally tested and adapted from a recipe published by Patrick Auger in March 2023. Original photo of food by Patrick Auger.