How to Make Pumpernickel Flour

Dark pumpernickel bread is made with flour from ground rye berries.

Pumpernickel flour is a healthier version of rye flour because it contains the entire rye berry. Rye flour is to pumpernickel flour what refined white flour is to whole wheat flour. The only ingredient in pumpernickel flour is coarsely ground rye berries. With a grain mill, make your own pumpernickel flour for preparing pumpernickel bread or Boston brown bread at home. Because pumpernickel flour is low in gluten, wheat flour is added to some pumpernickel bread recipes to give the bread a chewy texture and help it rise.

Things You'll Need

• Grain mill
• 1/2 cup rye berries
• Airtight container

Instructions

1. Add to the grain mill hopper as instructed 1/2 cup of rye berries.

2. Set the mill to a coarse grind.

3. Process the rye berries according to the manufacturer's instructions for your grain mill.

4. Use the coarsely ground rye berries - pumpernickel flour - in your recipe immediately. Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute a food processor or spice grinder for milling small amounts of rye berries into pumpernickel flour.

References

• Bread Machine Digest: Milling Your Own Flour The Hows and Whys
• Exploratorium: Ask the Inquisitive Cooks - "What's The Difference Between Pumpernickel and Rye?"
• "The Book of New England Cookery"; Judith Jones, et al.; 2006