Directions

Step 1 : Mixing the dough

Mix together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then, in a separate large mixing bowl, mix together the water and starter until milky. Add salt and honey and mix well. Add the flours to the wet ingredients and combine with a spoon or dough whisk - this dough is thick and sticky. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Stretch and Fold

Perform one stretch and fold by pulling each corner gently towards the middle of the dough. You will only do this once and it will be sticky and not as flexible as traditional dough. Allow to rest at room temperature on the counter for 3 hours. Keep covered with a damp tea towel.

Step 3: Shaping

Flour your work surface with rice flour and place your dough on the flour. The dough will be very sticky, so you might need to use a bench scraper. This dough requires very little shaping so keep this part simple. The choice is up to you whether you would like an oval or round shape. Make sure the dough is well floured and use your hands to create the shape you desire. Once floured, this dough is very easy to work with.

Step 4: Cold fermentation

Once shaped, transfer your dough to a tea towel that is well floured and place in the fridge for 2 hours. Cover the dough with the tea towel like a little parcel to keep it from drying out. NOTE: a proofing bowl is not needed, as the traditional style of this pumpernickel is more like a flat disk. Set your timer to 1.5 hours and when the timer goes off, set your oven to 465 F WITH THE BAKING VESSEL INSIDE - your dough will still be chilling in the fridge - you want the cold dough to go into a hot oven.

Step 5: Bake

Once your oven is heated to 465 F, take your dough out of the fridge and place on a piece of parchment paper - you can flip it over or leave it upright, either way you will still get a very rustic look to your loaf. If you want to keep the traditional German method of baking Pumpernickel, and giving your loaf a beautiful rustic finish, do not score the bread.

Remove baking vessel and place dough inside, bake at 465 F for 20 minutes, then turn oven temperature down to 435 F, remove lid, and bake for 15 additional minutes or, if you like a darker crust, then bake an additional 20 - 25 minutes to suit your desired color.

Step 6: Cool

Once your bread is done, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for minimum 30 minutes to make slicing much easier. Enjoy this beautiful bread with honey butter, or fig jam.

Makes one loaf.

Recipe contributed by Jocelyn Kempe.