Pumpernickel Bread

Ingredients (Baker's Percent)

Instructions

Normally I'd write instructions, but this ain't no beginner bread. 85% hydration is bad enough, but rye flour is clingier than a baby orangutan, so if you're a bread novice reduce the hydration by at least 10%. If you know what you're doing, then just do what you usually do and make bread with these percentages. Following in the steps of Trevor J. Wilson, I like my loaves to weigh 800 g in total. You can, as with all breads, substitute an appropriate quantity of sourdough starter. I like to make this as a batard, but it also works great as a pan loaf, though I'd probably reduce the hydration quite a bit and degas the dough before shaping (the loaf in the picture was degassed because I forgot about it). Delicious with smoked salmon and cream cheese, any kind of charcuterie, or just as a great all purpose loaf.