Pumpernickel - North America

North America

A separate pumpernickel tradition has developed in North America, where the loaf color approximates the dark color of traditional German pumpernickel by adding molasses, coffee, cocoa powder, or other darkening agents. In addition to coloring and flavor agents, North American bakers often add wheat flour (to provide gluten structure and increase rising) and commercial yeast to quicken the rise compared to a traditional sourdough. Because of the ways in which North American bakers have changed the original German recipe, and for economic reasons, they tend to eschew the long, slow baking characteristic of German pumpernickel. The result is a loaf that resembles commercial North American rye bread - a bread made with a mix of wheat and rye flour — but with darker coloring. Many bakers also add a significant amount of caraway seeds, providing an alternate flavor that is now characteristic of many Northern American commercial pumpernickel and light rye breads.

North American pumpernickel loaves are almost always baked without a baking pan, resulting in a rounded loaf. These breads do not have the dense crumb of an authentic German pumpernickel and have a rather different flavor profile derived from the added darkening agents and the shortened baking process. Traditional German style pumpernickel is available in all major Canadian supermarkets from coast to coast. It is more common than the pumpernickel made by the American tradition.