1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup sorghum syrup (or molasses)
2 teaspoons instant yeast (I use SAF gold label for sweet breads)
1 1/2 cups pumpernickel meal
Caramel color powder or instant coffee or cocoa
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
3 tablespoons oil
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup light rye flour
Method: Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl and add a teaspoon of the syrup. Stir in the coloring, yeast and pumpernickel flour. Let this sponge work for at least 20 minutes, until it's expanded and bubbly.

Add the salt, caraway seeds, butter, and enough of the other flour to create a dough that begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. At this point, cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it stand for about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured or lightly oiled work surface, and knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding only enough flour (or oil on your hands and the work surface) to keep the dough from sticking unbearably. (Rye doughs will always be a bit sticky, so resist the urge to keep adding flour to eliminate this inherent stickiness; adding too much flour will make a heavy, dense, dry loaf.) DO NOT OVERKNEAD. Just til mixed and smooth, under 3 minutes in a mixer.

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the greased bowl, turning to coat, and cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until it's just about doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down, and let rise in a floured bread basket (banneton or brotform)

Bake the bread in a preheated 375°F oven on a baking stone for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is dark brown, and the interior temperature of the loaves measures 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool.

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Updated on 8-15-2008.