Pumpernickel Bread

The Perfected Sourdough Pumpernickel

Servings: 1 loaf | Prep time: 6–8 hours | Baking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 100g Bubbly Sourdough Starter (Active)

• 350g Warm Water (80°F)

• 25g Black Strap Molasses (~1.5 tbsp)

• 380g Bread Flour

• 120g Whole Grain Rye Flour (Pumpernickel)

• 10g Fine Sea Salt

• 20g Olive Oil

• Optional: 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder (for color) & 2 tsp Caraway Seeds (for flavor)

I. Mixing & Bulk Fermentation

1. Whisk Wet: In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, warm water, and molasses until dissolved.

2. Incorporate Dry: Add the bread flour, rye flour, salt, and cocoa/seeds (if using). Mix by hand or with a dough scraper until a shaggy, thick dough forms.

3. Add Oil: Pour the olive oil over the dough and knead inside the bowl for 2–3 minutes until the oil is fully absorbed and the dough is relatively smooth (it will be stickier than white bread).

4. The First Rise: Cover with a damp towel. Let sit at room temperature (~70°F) for 4–6 hours. Look for the dough to nearly double in size and look bubbly.

II. Shaping & Proofing

1. Shape: Gently turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the edges into the center to create a round ball (boule).

2. Second Rise: Place the dough seam-side up into a bowl lined with a heavily floured towel. Cover and let rest for 1.5 to 2 hours. It should look puffy but not doubled.

3. Preheat: 45 minutes before baking, place your empty Dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 450°F.

III. The Bake

1. Score: Invert the dough onto parchment paper. Use a bread lame or sharp razor to cut 4 slashes (a square or "X") on top.

2. Load: Carefully lower the parchment and dough into the hot Dutch oven.

3. Steam: Cover with the lid. Bake for 20 minutes.

4. Finish: Remove the lid. Reduce oven temp to 425°F and bake for another 35–40 minutes. (If it darkens too fast, tent with foil).

5. The "Rye Rule": Transfer to a wire rack. Do not slice for at least 4 hours. Rye bread finishes its internal "cook" while cooling; slicing too early results in a gummy texture.

This timeline is optimized for a standard room temperature of 70°F and your specific 100g starter ratio. Because rye dough is heavier and stickier, it relies on visual cues rather than a strict clock. 

The One-Day Baking Schedule

Pro-Tips for Success

• The Aliquot Jar: To take the guesswork out of the first rise, pinch off a tiny piece of dough and put it in a small, straight-sided jar. When that small sample doubles, your main dough is ready.

• The Stickiness: Rye contains pentosans that make it feel like "mud" compared to wheat. Use a wet dough scraper instead of adding excess flour, which can make the bread dry.

• Temperature Check: Your bread is perfectly done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 200°F–210°F. 

The total prep time (active and passive) is approximately 7 to 9 hours, followed by a mandatory 4-hour cooling period.

The breakdown of your time is as follows:

• Active Prep (45 minutes): This includes measuring ingredients, the initial mixing/kneading, the final shaping of the loaf, and scoring before baking.

• Passive Fermentation (6–8 hours):

  • Bulk Rise: 4–6 hours (depending on your kitchen's temperature).

  • Final Proof: 1.5–2 hours.

• Bake Time (1 hour): 20 minutes with the lid on, 40 minutes with the lid off.

• Setting Time (4+ hours): Because of the rye content, the bread must cool completely to prevent a gummy texture.

Temperature is the most important variable in sourdough. For every 10-15°F change, your fermentation time will roughly double or halve.

Warm Kitchen (75°F - 80°F+)

• The Risk: The dough can "run away" from you, over-proofing quickly and becoming a sticky, unshapeable mess.

• Adjustment: Shorten the Bulk Ferment to 3–4 hours. Start checking the dough's volume at the 3-hour mark.

• Pro Tip: Use cold water (refrigerator temp) instead of warm water during the initial mix to slow the starter down.

Cold Kitchen (60°F - 65°F)

• The Risk: The yeast and bacteria become sluggish, and the dough may not rise at all within the allotted time.

• Adjustment: Extend the Bulk Ferment to 8–12 hours. This often makes a "countertop overnight" rise possible.

• Pro Tip: Create a DIY "Proofing Box" by placing the dough in the oven (turned OFF) with the oven light turned ON. This usually maintains a steady 75-78°F.

The "Fridge Reset"

If your dough is rising too fast and you aren't ready to bake, or if you need to go to sleep/work:

• The Move: Put the shaped dough (in its bowl/basket) into the refrigerator for 8–24 hours.

• The Benefit: This is called "retarding." It stops the dough from over-proofing and actually improves the sourdough tang and crust blisters. You can bake it straight from the fridge into the hot pot.

This recipe falls under the Intermediate category. While it isn’t overly complex, adding Rye Flour and Molasses brings extra challenges compared to making a basic white sourdough loaf.

Why It’s Considered Intermediate

·         Sticky Dough: Rye flour is high in pentosans (complex sugars), which makes the dough sticky and mud-like rather than stretchy like typical wheat dough. Beginners tend to use too much flour to fix this, resulting in bread that's dry and dense.

·         Lower Gluten Content: Rye doesn’t form much gluten, so you can’t knead it the usual way. Instead, techniques like “stretch and fold” or using a dough scraper are needed to build structure without tearing.

·         Fast Fermentation: Molasses acts as a strong sugar source that speeds up fermentation, so the dough rises faster and can easily over-proof if not closely monitored.

·         Gummy Texture Risk: Breads with a lot of rye need to cool for a long time (between 4–24 hours) for the starches to set properly. Slicing too soon—something beginners often do—will mess up the crumb’s texture.

Helpful Tips

·         Weigh Ingredients: It's important to use a scale for accurate weights, especially since rye absorbs a lot of water.

·         Keep Hands Wet: When the dough sticks, wet your hands and tools instead of dusting with more flour.

·         Pay Attention to the Dough: With molasses in the mix, the dough might be ready to bake faster than expected. Wait for it to grow about 75% in size and develop a springy, jiggly feel before baking.