Hearty Fall Baking: Pumpernickel and Multi-Grain Breads

Filling the house with smells of fresh homemade bread baking is a wonderful thing.  Yeasty and warm, working with the dough brings a feeling of the past and blends it with the present.

These bread recipes come from my book, From My Family Recipe Box:

Dark Earthy Pumpernickel Bread
4 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
2 packets of yeast
1 Tablespoon Black strap molasses
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 cup dark rye flour
5 – 10 cups bread flour (start with 5 cups and add enough to make a smooth dough)

Using a dough hook attachment on your mixer, or by hand in a large mixing bowl, blend ingredients into a smooth dough.  Let rise in an oiled bowl in warm area for 1 hour.  Punch down. Let rise another hour.  Shape dough into 4 loaves and place on sheet pans that have been lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with coarse corn meal.  Let loaves rise 1 hour and bake in 400°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or internal temperature at thickest part is 200°F.

Place loaves on racks to cool well before slicing.

Caitlin’s Multi-Grain Bread
Created by Caitlin Hurt ©2004
2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 packets of yeast
1 cup *Multigrain – processed fine in a spice grinder
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 – 6 cups bread flour (start with 3 cups and add enough to make a smooth dough)

Blend into a smooth dough.  Let rise in oiled bowl in warm area for 1 hour.  Punch down. Let rise another hour and pre heat oven for 400°. Shape dough into 2 loaves and place in loaf pans.  Let loaves rise 1 hour and place in hot oven 30 to 40 minutes or internal temperature at thickest part is 200°F.

Place loaves on racks to cool well before slicing.

*Nine to seven whole grain mixtures make tasty bread – we like to mix our own.

Hints to have your bread come out the best:
– Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature.
– Your water should be warm, not hot – too hot kills your yeast.
– Is your yeast expired? Old yeast loses it rising ability.
– Spray your loaf pans with nonstick spray for easy removal.

Making your own breads allows you to avoid preservatives, control the ingredients used, as well as controlling saturated fats. Whole grain breads are a great way to add fiber to your family’s diet.

Editor’s Note: Fall and winter mean lots more baking (at least for us). Check out our brand-new line of USA-made, recycled steel bakeware on Lehmans.com!