Sebastian Costard's
Dark Pumpernickel
Yield: 1 large or 2 medium loaves
Dry Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
2 cups bread flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Dash + fennel seeds
2 tablespoon dry yeast
Pinch or two of baking powder (optional)
Wet Ingredients
¼ cup molasses or honey
1 egg
1½ cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
Sebastian Costard is the talented author of 7 novels and an amazing baker. Click on the links below to be taken to amazon and goodreads to read more!
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Combine the yeast, sugar, oil, egg, and water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Beat on low speed for 1 minute.
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Add the salt, rye flour, all-purpose flour,and caraway seeds. Beat at low speed until all of the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Then, beat at medium speed until the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl and climbs up the dough hook.
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Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 5 1/2 by 9-inch baking pan.
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Remove the dough from the bowl and invert onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough several times. Tuck and roll so that any seams disappear into the dough and place in the prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Optional
Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash lightly over the top of the dough.
Baking
Bake with steam, if you have it, or boiling water in an oven-safe measuring cup or pan on the lowest rack, until the bread is lightly brown, about 35-40 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure dough in center is not sticky. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
1. Make it sugar free: Substitute 1 tablespoon brown sugar Stevia for the 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Omit molasses or honey in egg wash.
2. Make it by hand: Some of you, like me, may not have an electric mixer with a dough hook. This bread can easily be made by hand. Mix together yeast, sugar, oil, egg, and water in the bowl. Add the salt, rye flour, all-purpose flour, and caraway seeds and stir until dough is stiff. Turn dough out from bowl onto floured surface and knead until smooth. Add additional flour as needed. Follow directions from that point.