Pumpernickel

Original Recipe from the Family’s Oaza Bakeries

30 lbs. sour
35 lbs. water (variable temp.)
2 1/4 lbs. salt
Coloring to suit (mix with water)
Caraway seeds to suit
2 lbs. yeast
For Pumpernickel add Pumpernickel meal to suit (about 4 lbs. to above)
Clear flour to suit to make stiff dough

To make sour:

1 gal. water (warm in winter)

8 lbs. rye flour

Mix and allow to stand 4 hours covered

Mix again at least:  

1 gal. water

8 lbs. rye flour

Has to stay about 4 hours

Mix again:

1 gal. water

8 lbs. rye flour

After 4 hours should be ready to use.  Nice flavor.  Sour is good.

We got this recipe from Donald's mother, Victoria Piotrowski, who got it from her cousin, a baker in the family bakery.  Grandma made us swear on our lives we wouldn't tell anyone we had it.  It was evidently a closely guarded secret in her day.  Donald, who worked in the bakery when he was in high school, said that day old danish and rolls would be ground up and added to the dough and that is what made Oaza Bakery's pumpernickel so delicious and so unique.  He remembers the bakers taking fresh loaves from the oven, cutting off the top and adding a stick of butter.  When it was melted, they would tear the bread apart and eat it.  The comments at the end of the recipe are those of the baker.

 My calculations  for fewer loaves

	100 loaves			10 loaves	5 loaves	4 loaves	2 loaves	1 loaf
	Lbs.	Oz.	Grams	Grams	Grams	Grams	Grams	Grams
Sour Starter (Rye)	30	480	13608	1360.8	680.4	544.32	272.16	136.08
Water	35	560	15876	1587.6	793.8	635.04	317.52	158.76
Salt	2.5	40	1134	113.4	56.7	45.36	22.68	11.34
Yeast	2	32	907.2	90.72	45.36	36.288	18.144	9.072
Pumpernickel meal—Dark Rye Flour	4	64	1814.4	181.44	90.72	72.576	36.288	18.144
Coloring to suit-usually molasses (Mix with water), cocoa, or dark barley malt syrup.  If using dark malt powder, try 85% malt powder and 15% boiling water, by weight.
Caraway seed to suit
Clear Bread, whole wheat, or unbleached white flour to make stiff dough
To make Rye Sour Starter
Water 1 gallon	8	128	3628.8	362.88	181.44	145.152	72.576	36.288
Rye flour 8 lbs.	8	128	3628.8	362.88	181.44	145.152	72.576	36.288
Let stand 4 hours, covered
Add:
Water 1 gallon	8	128	3628.8	362.88	181.44	145.152	72.576	36.288
Rye flour 8 lbs.	8	128	3628.8	362.88	181.44	145.152	72.576	36.288
Let stand 4 hours, covered
Add:
Water 1 gallon	8	128	3628.8	362.88	181.44	145.152	72.576	36.288
Rye flour 8 lbs.	8	128	3628.8	362.88	181.44	145.152	72.576	36.288
Let stand four hours
Ready to Bake
Make an egg wash: mix an egg with water or milk or cream and brush on the top of the loaves either before baking or about 10 minutes before they're finished baking. This will help brown the crust and soften it and make it shiny.

After final 4 hours, sour sponge should be ready to use. The longer it sits, the more sour the mix.  Can be stored in refrigerator after sour is finished.  Sour dough is a whole different thing.  If you plan to save your starter find a sour dough site online to learn more. It is best to weigh all ingredients. 

To bake bread:  In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook or a large a large mixing bowl, combine the active rye starter with the water, coloring, salt, dark rye/pumpernickel meal.   Add the plain flour of your choice, and mix thoroughly with dough hook.  If working by hand, stir in as much of the flour as you can, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining flour. Knead 5 minutes. Knead the dough into a smooth ball. The dough may still be a little soft and tacky but should form into a smooth ball. 

Coloring Note:  Coloring can be molasses, cocoa, coffee, caramel powder, burnt sugar caramel that you make, dark barley malt syrup, or a combination of these.  

Place the dough into an oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and set at room temperature for 1 hour. After an hour, working from four corners of the dough (still in the bowl) use your hand to lift the top edge of the dough over into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other 3 sides then flip the dough over. Cover and set at room temperature for another hour. Repeat the folding procedure 2 more times so the dough rises for a total of 3 hours. By now the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature. After the initial fermentation the dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. 

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold each of the four sides into the middle again. Flip the dough over, shape into a ball then form an oval shape or loaf.  Transfer the loaf to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, loaf pan or Dutch oven.  Mini sourdough bakers, cover the Dutch oven or use two loaf pans with the second one turned upside down on the first so that the bread bakes in an enclosed environment, keeping the moisture in.. 

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until almost doubled in volume (about 1 – 1 ½ hours). the rising time will vary base on how active your starter was, the room temperature, etc. 

While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 375 °F. If you have a baking stone put it in the oven to preheat. When the bread is risen, use a sharp knife or blade to slash the top of the bread 4-5 times. Spray loaf and sides of oven with water and close door.  Can also place sheet pan on bottom shelf of oven and add water.   

Bake until the temperature reaches 200°F in the center of the loaf, about 35 - 45 minutes, longer if dough has been proofed in refrigerator.