On 28 Mar 2004 16:42:53 -0800, (Jan Fure) wrote:

>Hi;
>
>I am making pumpernickel mainly following the method outlined in:
>http://samartha.net/SD/procedures/PPN01/index.html
>I am dividing the 18.2Kg recipe by 10 to get a 4 pound recipe.
>
>Starting with about 1800g, I end up with 1500 to 1600 gram bread, with
>other words, on a typical run, I start with a dough hydration of 70%,
>and end up with a bread hydration of 45%.
>
>My pumpernickel is pleasant to eat, however, it is quite different
>from German pumpernickel. The German pumpernickel I buy in American
>German-food stores (500g, plastic wrapped, rye, water, salt, yeast as
>only ingredients) is darker than my pumpernickel, somewhat softer and
>moister, it has a slightly sweet smell and taste, but of course not as
>fresh as my own homebaked pumpernickel. My pumpernickel smells more
>like rye in comparison.
>
>I am interested in how much water loss other people experience making
>pumpernickel, and also how sour the dough gets prior to baking, i.e.
>can you hear the CO2 escaping through the dough, is it a sharp whiff
>when smelling it?
>
>I have tried using extra aluminum foil to retain more water, but I end
>up with a "doughy" bread.
>
>Jan Fure

Hi Jan,

How long are you baking, and at what temp?

When I have done them (following Samartha's technique), the breads are
dark brown and very sweet smelling. Others have guessed that the bread
was made with molasses.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

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