Wheat Nut Pumpernickel Bread

Ingredients

3 cups Whole Wheat Flour

5 cups Rye Flour

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

3 teaspoons salt

2 cups hydrated wheat berries (aka cracked wheat)

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups warm water

Olive

Rehydrate the wheat berries: 

Place 2 cups dry wheat berries in a mixing bowl. Add 2 cups boiling water. Mix and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Make the bread:

1. Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Add the hydrated wheat berries, molasses and most of the water. Knead and add more water or flour if needed. Roll the dough into a ball and oil it.

2. Oil a large bowl ready for the dough and cover with a wet cloth.

3. Let the dough sit for at least 2 hours to rise, preferably in a warm place.

4. After it has clearly risen (it will not double but will visibly rise), punch the dough down and knead it again, then let it rise for at least 2 more hours.

5. After the second rise, section the dough to make small loaves or bread rolls. (Longer baguette- shaped loaves work really well; the middle of the loaf cooks through without overdoing the crust, so it’s just perfect.)

6. Let the loaves sit again, but this time for only about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

7. Place a large pan in the oven and fill it with water to create steam while the bread bakes. The bread will take about 30 minutes to bake. Bake check: The bread should feel firm and crusty, but still spring back when you press it, a bit like a heavy cake. You can also flick and tap the bottom and if it sounds sort of hollow, it’s ready for the cooling rack.