As a child pumpernickel bread was a prized food and everyone in my house loved it! I am a sucker for it toasted with pools of butter slathered on it! That toasted caraway taste and chewy texture is probably written in my DNA. I also love to dip it into hot chocolate or Pero, a caffeine and coffee free coffee substitute made of toasted barley, chicory and rye. My family always referenced the love for this bread toasted and dipped in cocoa as my Swedish blood coming out.
Where does pumpernickel come from?
Interestingly enough, pumpernickel bread actually originates from Germany, which I am likely to have in my DNA too. It’s traditionally made with rye flour and it gets that color from molasses and cocoa powder.
What gives pumpernickel it’s flavors?
I like my pumpernickel soft and chewy so I used mostly wheat flour with some rye flour mixed in. The real star of the bread and it wouldn’t be pumpernickel without it, are the caraway seeds. They are the main taste of flavor and all the others are background flavors that deepen the richness of the bread and make the caraway shine even more.
Doris Day and pumpernickel.
When I was younger I would watch the old movie “With Six You Get Egg Roll” with Doris Day. There is a scene in that movie when the widowed mother (Doris Day) sneaks out on a date and lies to her protective teenage son, saying she needs to go grab pumpernickel at the store. When she gets home very late at night, he is waiting up for her and says “where’s the pumpernickel?”. Me and my brother used to quote that part of the movie all of the time! We thought it was too funny! Not sure if it’s just the word pumpernickel or if we actually thought the statement was funny.
Say pumpernickel ten times fast…
Speaking of which, try to say pumpernickel ten times fast without smiling. Ha ha. Don’t even bother, it’s impossible. At least for me. Anyways, this bread makes my heart happy and brings back lots of fun memories.
What you need to make Pumpernickel:
Makes 1 loaf bread
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
3 and 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1 cup warm water
1 and 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoon molasses
Optional – 1 tablespoon Pero or espresso powder (this just deepens the flavors of the bread but isn’t necessary)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons butter – melted
Instructions
In a blender, add caraway seeds, white flour and rye flour and blend until seeds are blended with the flours.
In a mixing bowl, add warm water and yeast. Let sit for 2 minutes.
Add cocoa powder, molasses, optional ingredient Pero (non-caffeinated coffee substitute or espresso granules) This just deepens the flavors of the bread but isn’t necessary, brown sugar, salt and melted butter.
Add the blended flour mixture and stir until a dough ball forms.
Knead for 5 minutes if using an electric mixer or 7 minutes by hand.
Place in a bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap and a warm towel.
Let rise for 1 hours.
Press down gently then form into a rectangle the size of your bread tin.
Grease bread tin and place dough in the middle.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and a towel again.
Let dough rise for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Optional – brush top of bread with egg wash, using 1 egg white and 3 tablespoons water, blended.
Bake for 38 minutes.
Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.
Enjoy!
Pumpernickel Bread
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 3 1/2 cups white flour
- 1/2 cup rye flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dry Active Yeast
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon Optional - Pero or espresso powder this just deepens the flavors of the bread but isn't necessary
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 4 tablespoons Butter - melted
Instructions
- In a blender, add caraway seeds, white flour and rye flour and blend until seeds are blended with the flours.
- In a mixing bowl, add warm water and yeast. Let sit for 2 minutes.
- Add cocoa powder, molasses, optional ingredient Pero (non-caffeinated coffee substitute or espresso granules) This just deepens the flavors of the bread but isn't necessary, brown sugar, salt and melted butter.
- Add the blended flour mixture and stir until a dough ball forms.
- Knead for 5 minutes if using an electric mixer or 7 minutes by hand.
- Place in a bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap and a warm towel.
- Let rise for 1 hours.
- Press down gently then form into a rectangle the size of your bread tin.
- Grease bread tin and place dough in the middle.
- Cover lightly with plastic wrap and a towel again.
- Let dough rise for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Optional - brush top of bread with egg wash, using 1 egg white and 3 tablespoons water, blended.
- Bake for 38 minutes.
- Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.
- Enjoy!