This is a classic, aromatic, malty pumpernickel. It is easy to make and the malty grains smell wonderful as the pumpernickel cooks. This bread goes really well with smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, shavings of Comté cheese, and toppings such as hard-boiled eggs, capers, gherkins and dill.
The rye flour and rye grains are easy and cheap to obtain from wholefood suppliers or flour mills such as Shipton Mill The chopped rye grains referred to in the recipe are simply whole rye grains chopped up.
Three types of malt are used in this bread to add flavour, texture and colour:
1. chocolate malt - a crushed roasted malt grain (£1.32 for 500g)
2. crystal malt - a roasted malted barley with a beautiful aroma and colour (£1.26 for 500g)
3. Maris Otter malt (plain malt). Maris Otter is the name of a type of barley (£1.32 for 500g)
The three types of malted grains used in the pumpernickel bread can be obtained from home brew suppliers.
You also need an active sourdough starter – preferably rye. This can be obtained from another baker or you can make it yourself using Patrick Ryan’s excellent advice and video.
‘Hands on time’ to make this bread is about 20 minutes and there are no particular skills required. Just the ability to weigh the ingredients and the time needed to soak the whole rye grains.
It is best to soak the whole rye grains for 8 hours before starting to make the bread which will then take a day to make.
Ingredients
100g rye grains
20g chocolate malt
40g crystal malt
40g Maris Otter malt
250g chopped rye
5g salt
250g rye sourdough starter
250g warm water (30°C-37°C)
You will need 1 x 800g loaf tin, oiled lightly with sunflower oil. You can line the base with baking parchment to make turning the loaf out easier.
Method
Soak the rye grains overnight in a bowl of cold water (approx. 8 hours).
The next day drain the rye grains and mix with the chocolate malt, crystal malt, Maris Otter malt, chopped rye grain and salt in a bowl. In a larger bowl mix together the rye sourdough starter and water and then add all the grains. Mix thoroughly and cover with a shower cap or smaller mixing bowl. Allow this to rise for 8 hours.
Transfer the mixture to the oiled loaf tin and press flat with a spatula. Cover with a shower cap/bowl for between 4 and 8 hours. When little cracks appear on the surface, the pumpernickel is ready to cook.
Preheat the oven to 250°C and place a roasting tin at the bottom of the oven. Remove the shower cap/bowl from the pumpernickel.
Pour a mug full of water into the roasting tin and place the pumpernickel in the oven. Cover the top of the loaf tin with a baking sheet. This prevents the top from over cooking. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 200C. Bakethe pumpernickel for 60 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the tin and tap the bottom of the loaf with your knuckles. The loaf is cooked when it sounds hollow. If you are unsure return the loaf to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
When you remove the loaf from the oven, place it on a board and cover with a large bowl. This allows the hot loaf to sweat and keeps the crust moist.
