The Fresh Loaf

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Light rye “lid” on dark pumpernickel

May 16, 2021 - 8:53pm
Mallbee's picture
Mallbee

Light rye “lid” on dark pumpernickel

I’ve been trying to recreate the bread in the picture I’ve included. It was something I grew up with in Colchester, CT, from the now defunct Colchester Bakery. They called it “Russian Pumoernickel.” The light rye “lid” appears to “drip” down the sides of the loaf as if it had been applied like a glaze, but I can’t find anything about that. Does anyone know how this is achieved?

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Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer
May 17 2021 - 12:49am

Some liquid dough is applied to the bread just before baking. It helps to get a nice smooth surface without cracks. It can be either a batter-like mixture made just before applying, or a piece of the main dough diluted with some water for a liquidy consistency (e.g. 30g dough with 25g water). I learned about this from videos by Rus Brot on YouTube, very informative if you want to bake rye bread.

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer
May 17 2021 - 1:42am

Although I have to say, typically the crust from these methods it much darker, not sure how to make it so light as in the picture. Maybe indeed if you use light rye flour... But with white wheat flour it still comes out dark. So idk.

Mallbee's picture
Mallbee
May 17 2021 - 5:25am

Hi Ilya, I subscribed to Rus Brot and looked through the videos, but I don’t see the one you mentioned. Any chance you could send me the link?

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer
May 17 2021 - 5:31am

He does it in a lot of videos for hearth rye bread, for example: https://youtu.be/ZQ_p7IihoZs?t=570

(don't forget to switch on the subtitles)

Mallbee's picture
Mallbee
May 17 2021 - 4:59am

Thank you so much! I will definitely check out the Rus Brot video.

suave's picture
suave
May 17 2021 - 5:50am

Looks like a thin layer of rolled out dough was applied after shaping.

harum's picture
harum
May 18 2021 - 10:03am

Is this the same technique as in Kletzenbrot?  1/4 of the dough is rolled out and wrapped around the remaining dough containing sweet or savory additives.  

suave's picture
suave
May 18 2021 - 8:19pm

To me it's more of take on a marble "rye" of which this appears to be a relative.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven
May 30 2021 - 3:02am
  • A sweet dough wrapped around a rye dough filled with fruit minus the fruit and sugar.
  • I wrote a sugar reduced recipe you could wrap around a rye dough.
  • AP flour - 200 g glatt 
  • Butter - 30 g unsalted
  • Milk - 4 Tbs
  • Eggs - 1 Yolk  (+ 1 egg as glaze if desired)
  • Yeast - 1/4 cube fresh (or one rounded teaspoon IDY)
  • Salt - 3 g 
  • Sugar 3 g
  • Combine, knead, adjust hydration to a medium dough and let rest until doubled in volume.  Aprox 45 min to 1 hr.. roll out thin before wrapping. Can seal edges with smear of milk or water.  Apply egg (or whole milk or cream) glaze during proof to prevent drying of dough. A second glaze coat applied sprinkled with seeds and dried just before baking.
Texas Yankee's picture
Texas Yankee
Dec 7 2023 - 8:46pm

I know exactly what you are referring to. I grew up in Upstate NY and we use to get pumpernickel with this thick chewy coating. I haven't seen this since a kid. Visited a few years back and they have the pumpernickel but no longer put this lid as someone called it. 

The loaves were large and with the raisins it was to die for. I would love to find the original recipe