Pumpernickel Rye Yeasted Bread

Pumpernickel Rye is a dark, moist bread with a very rich flavor. It is good with potato soup and sharp cheddar cheese.

MAKES: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/2cup dark molasses
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 2 tablespoons melted or very soft butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 2 1/2 cups rye flour
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour cornmeal

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in molasses, salt, caraway seed, butter, cocoa, and rye flour. Beat vigorously until smooth. Stir in unbleached white flour 1 cup at a time until dough is ready to handle.
2. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour until dough is smooth and not sticky. Dough should feel soft and pliable, not hard.
3. Put dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm spot to rise until double, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down dough and then round it up again. Cover and let rise again until double. The second rising takes approximately 40 minutes.
5. Butter a baking sheet and sprinkle it with cornmeal.
6. Punch down dough and divide it in half. Form into 2 round loaves and place on opposite corners of baking sheet, leaving room for them to rise again. Cover loaves and let them rise again until double, approximately 1 hour.
7. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow on the bottom. If bread sounds dense, return it to the oven for a few more minutes. Cool before slicing.

VARIATION: ORANGE-GINGER PUMPERNICKEL

Here’s an idea: Make a loaf of original Pumpernickel Rye and a loaf of Orange-Ginger Pumpernickel, or double the orange and ginger quantities to 4 tablespoons of each to make 2 OrangeGinger loaves.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons orange peel
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger root

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut away the peel of an orange, avoiding the bitter white part. Slice peel very thin and chop coarsely.
2. Peel the ginger. Slice thin and chop coarsely, making about 2 tablespoons.
3. Follow the directions for the Pumpernickel Rye. Divide dough in half before adding the white flour. Add 2 tablespoons orange peel and 2 tablespoons ginger to half of the dough. Add white flour, and continue preparing each bowl separately (as directed in the original recipe).