Pumpernickel Bread

You have to make the starter for this bread at least a day in advance, and the bread itself requires long, slow risings to give it its deep, rich, tangy flavor. Molasses or caramel coloring will add color, but the includion of last week's toasted crumbs, undoubtedly a more authentic way of darkening the bread, was used simply as an economical device by European peasants.

For the starter:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup non-fat dry milk
1 cup warm water
3/4 cup white flour
1/2 cup rye flour

For the dough:
1 1/3 cups starter
1/3 cup non-fat dry milk
2 1/2 cups warm water
3 to 3 1/2 cups white flour, preferably unbleached
2 to 2 1/4 cups pumpernickel flour (see note)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons coarse salt or 4 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons caramel or molasses
3/4 cup toasted rye bread crumbs or wheat germ
cornmeal (for round loaves)

For the glaze:
1 tablespoon molasses or caramel mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Mix starter ingredients together in a medium-size bowl, beating into a smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place, such as on top of the stove near a pilot light or close to a radiator. The starter will rise and bubble up, then sink back. It is ready to use after 24 hours.

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the remaining cup of warm water. Stir in the sponge, salt, corn meal, molasses or caramel, the bread crumbs or wheat germ, and the remaining flours, holding back about 3/4 cup of the white flour. Turn the dough out on a floured working surface after it bcomes too stiff to stir and let rest while you clean out the bowl. Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary. The dough will be very sticky. After 10 minutes of kneading, return the dough to the cleaned, ungreased bowl, cover, and let rise until double in volume, about 2 hours.

Punch down the dough, knead briefly in the bowl, cover and let rise again until double in volume, about 2 hours.

Turn the dough out and divide in half. Either shape into 2 loaves to go into 2 greased, 9-inch bread pans or make 2 round loaves and place far apart on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise covered wtih a kitchen towel, for about 1 hour.

Brush the loaves with the glaze. Bake in a 425-degree oven. If you have tiles or baking stone, slide the round loaves directly onto the hot surface. Bake 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake 35 minutes more. Remove and cool on racks.

Makes 2 9-inch or round loaves.

[Newspaper clipping. There is an additional note that seems to be about substitution(s) for pumpernickel flour, but that piece is missing. Apparently it was glued on at one time, but fell off. If I find it, I'll add it later. ]