Pumpernickel Sheet Pan Bread
Photo by Mark Weinberg
MAKES
one large rectangular loaf
TAKES
Prep time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 4 hours 30 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
If you love the flavor of pumpernickel but are also looking for a foolproof loaf, this sheet-pan bread is for you. This bread is immensely delicious with a generous swipe of good butter. I like to use the bread to make sandwiches by splitting the whole loaf horizontally in half, then cutting the assembled sandwich into squares. To add more texture, sprinkle sesame, poppy, or caraway seeds over the dough along with the salt before baking.
INGREDIENTS
360 g / 3 cups bread flour
215 g / 2 cups pumpernickel flour
10 g / 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (preferably black cocoa powder)
13 g / 4 teaspoons instant yeast
12 g / 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
402 g / 1 ¾ cups warm water (about 110°F / 45°C)
113 g / ⅓ cup molasses
45 g / 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
cornmeal for the baking pan
28 g / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 g / 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
coarse or flaky salt, as needed for sprinkling
Craving Something Savory?
Pumpernickel Crackers with butter + bouquerones (marinated white anchovies) - see Note.
METHOD
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the bread flour, pumpernickel flour, cocoa powder, yeast, and salt on low speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Add the water, molasses, and vegetable oil and mix for 4 minutes. Raise the speed to medium and continue to mix for about 4 minutes more, until the dough is very smooth.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl and turn it over onto itself a few times so that the the dough is coated with oil and slightly rounded. Let rise until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
3. Grease a 10 x 15 inch / 25 x 38 cm jelly-roll pan or a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm baking pan with nonstick spray. Sprinkle cornmeal even over the base of the pan.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently press and stretch it into a rectangle about the size of the prepared pan. Gently transfer the dough to the pan. Spray the surface of the dough with nonstick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes.
5. Uncover the dough and use your fingers to stipple it all over. Re-cover and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C with a rack in the center.
6. Use a pastry brush to stir the melted butter and oil together in a small cup. Brush generously over the surface of the dough, letting it pool in the nooks and crannies from the stippling. Sprinkle coarse salt evenly over it.
7. Transfer to the oven and bake until the crust is evenly browned and the center of the bread has an internal temperature of at least 200°F / 95°C, 30 to 35 minutes.
8. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
NOTE
This bread toasts beautifully: slice it to make crostini, or try it as crackers.
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut off the two short ends of the loaf (toast them to make delicious Croutons).
Cut the loaf into ¼ inch / 6 mm thick slices (crackers) or ½ inch / 1 cm thick (crostini) and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets—the slices can be very close together, nearly touching.
Use a pastry brush to brush extra virgin olive oil evenly over the surface of each slice.
Bake in a 375°F / 190°C oven until very crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheets, then store in airtight containers for up to 1 week.
I like to serve these crackers with salted butter plus boquerones, marinated white anchovies, sprinkled with black pepper and torn fresh herbs (like parsley, dill, or basil).
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
