I absolutely love the Westfalen pumpernickel with it's slow bake, foil wrapping, in order to obtain that sweetness from carmelization of the meal!! I could eat a whole loaf at one sitting!
I was wondering if there were any other bread recipes that require the same slow bake in order to produce that sweet carmelization taste?
Stanley Ginsberg's The Rye Baker has a recipe for Westfälischer Pumpernickel that has the slow (24 h) bake. I haven't tried it yet.
I just made that bread, and am now waiting my 48 hours for it to cool before cutting. Now I know KA has a pumpernickel recipe which is only a 5 hour bake. I've made this recipe several times and it has never disappointed!
Well I just did a taste test on "The Rye Baker"- recipe by Stan Ginsberg, for the Westphalian Pumpernickel bread.
This is the recipe that requires a 24 hour bake.
The recipe calls for 48 hours of cooling before cutting. Unfortunately I couldn't wait, and only gave it 24 hours!
As for taste, I thought it had a lovely taste. It had a very tight crumb and a very good rye taste that was filling.
My only concern with this bread, was the cutting. I used my thin blade bread bow knife for the cutting. It takes no less than the strength of a man and a boy to cut through this loaf! The end result is a thin slice of bread that looks like the shiny smooth leather sole on a new pair of shoes!
I don't believe I have the strength to cut a second piece at the moment. The taste wants to drive me on for a second piece, but I'm afraid I just don't have it in me to tackle cutting that second piece!
Now, not to despair! I could try my meat slicer! Or go back to my tried and true King Arthur Pumpernickel recipe, which is only a 5 hour bake, and much easier to cut. And I should add that the taste is equally as good as Stan's recipe.
All in all, it was a good learning lesson.
I have. It's excellent!