Best Pumpernickel rye bread recipe

 This pumpernickel rye bread recipe is different from “traditional Pumpernickel Bread”, which takes a long time to bake and uses 100 % rye flour.  This is my take on pumpernickel rye bread with two types of flours- light Rye and bread flours with so many flavors of cocoa, molasses, coffee, and caraway seeds, and lighter texture.

This recipe needs a stand-mixer or hand kneading.  If you want to know the no-knead version of this bread recipe, let me know! I will be happy to share with you. I look forward to hearing from you all about how yours turns out.  Thank you very much for watching. If you like my video, please subscribe and give me a thumbs up. 

Happy Baking and Cooking!

Ingredients

·     4 tablespoons salted butter, soften, plus more for brushing

·     1/2 teaspoon sugar

·     1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast

·     1 3/4 cup warm water

·     1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

·     2-3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 

·     2 tablespoons molasses

·     1 1/2 (200 grams) cups rye flour

·     3 cups( 400 grams) bread flour, plus more for dusting

·     2 tablespoons whole caraway seeds, lightly crushed

·     1 tablespoon coarse salt

 

Instructions

·      Grease a large bowl with butter and set aside. 

·         Prepare wet ingredients by combining 1 3/4 cup warm water with Instant espresso powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, and molasses. Stir well until well-combined. 

·         Prepare dry ingredients.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine both flours, caraway, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Make sure the yeast would not touch salt directly. Mix all dry ingredients until well-combined. 

·         Add the wet dry ingredients to the bowel with dry ingredients. Mix by a spoon or spatula. 

·         Turn the mixer on medium to medium low( 2-4 setting of your stand mixer) and mix until dough comes together in a smooth, springy ball around the hook, 10 to 12 minutes. 

·         Add softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated, about 4 minutes. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead a few times to form into a ball. 

·         Transfer to a buttered bowl and cover it with the lid.  Let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

·         When dough has doubled, turn out onto a well floured work surface. Gently pat the dough out.  Fold the dough - left, right, bottom, and top ( check the video to see how I fold). Form into a ball and return to a buttered bowl with the lid closed.  Let sit at room temperature until doubled in size again, about 30 minutes. 

·         Remove from the bowl, work into a ball shape. Place a clean towel in a medium bowl and generously dust with flour. Place the dough, seam-side up, in a bowl. Loosely fold floured towel ends over dough to cover. Let sit at room temperature until doubled, 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a Dutch oven pot in the oven with the lid to preheat. 

·         When dough is ready, carefully remove the lid, pull back corners of the towel, and flip the towel upside down to transfer bread to the heated pot, seam-side down. 

·         Score the dough on the top with a sharp knife and using an oven mitt, cover with lid. 

·         Return the pot to the oven and bake for 20 minutes with the lid on.

·         Remove the lid and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes more.

·         Take the baked bread out of the oven and leave it on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before cutting.