Pumpernickel Bread

Bread:
2 packages dry yeast (2Tbsp)
¼ cup warm water
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½ cup light molasses
1-2 Tbsp grated orange peel
2 tsp caraway seeds
1½ tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
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3 cups rye flour
2½ -3½ cups whole wheat flour

Glaze:
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp molasses

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large mixing bowl.

In a saucepan, heat the molasses, orange peel, caraway, and salt to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove it from the heat, stir in buttermilk, and allow it to cool for several min., until lukewarm. Add the molasses mixture to the yeast. Gradually add the rye flour and beat the batter 200 strokes. Stir in 2½ cups of the wheat flour, until the batter is stiff. Cover with a cloth and allow to rest for 15 min.

Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 min. The dough will be sticky, so flour your hands well. Add at least ½ cup of the remaining wheat flour and more as necessary as you knead the bread, until the dough is moist but workable. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for an hour. Punch down the dough, form it into two round loaves, and score an x in the center of each loaf with a sharp knife. Place the loaves on an oiled baking pan, about 4 inches apart, and let them rise for 45 min.

In a small pot, bring the water and molasses for the glaze to a boil and then simmer for 5 min. Allow to cool 10 min.

When the loaves have risen, preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the tops and sides with half of the glaze. Bake the bread for about 50 min. Glaze it with the remaining glaze as soon as you remove it from the oven.

This bread is especially nice with sharp cheddar and slices of fresh tomato.                            

Yield 2 round loaves

Note: There is a dark rye flour sometimes referred to as “pumpernickel rye” that is especially nice for this type of bread.

To create a warm, draft-free environment where the bread can rise, boil several pots of water and place them in your oven with the bowl of dough. The oven is insulated and will retain the warmth produced by the pots of hot water.


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