American Pumpernickel Bread

This is a thoroughly Americanised version of the black bread that originated at Westphalia in Germany towards the end of the middle ages. That bread acquires its dark colour partly from the dark rye meal in the dough, but mostly from the long baking time of up to 24 hours in closed tins. The American version uses molasses, cocoa powder, and sometimes dark-brewed coffee to achieve the dark colour. Thinly sliced pumpernickel bread is a great replacement for a bagel when topped with smoked sal