Bread and Rye Flours... Pumpernickel Big Buns

I couldn’t believe the photo in the "Home Baking with Robin Hood Flour" book – Pumpernickel buns that looked light and high?  I had to make them.  I did use bread flour for the extra gluten with the coarse pumpernickel flour, and I kneaded the dough by hand a few minutes after kneading it in the mixer to get a texture I liked.  I used the entire 3 cups of white flour.  They baked up looking just like their photo!  I had never used cottage cheese in bread before, but these buns are delicious.

These are ideal for ham or corned beef with sauerkraut and Swiss cheese sandwiches, or any other kind of cold cuts and cheeses in sandwiches.  If you like caraway, I would add some to this dough. 

 Pumpernickel Big Buns

  2 ½ - 3    Cups  Flour, All-purpose

  2        Cups  Pumpernickel Flour -- (rye graham)

  4        Teaspoons  Instant Yeast

  2        Teaspoons  Salt

     ½    Teaspoon  Baking Soda

  1 ½    Cups  Cottage Cheese -- 12 ounce carton

     ½    Cup  Water

     ¼    Cup  Molasses

  2        Tablespoons  Butter -- softened

  1        Large  Egg

                        Topping

  1        Large  Egg

  1        Tablespoon  Water

In mixer bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, butter yeast, salt and soda. 

Heat cottage cheese, 1/2 cup water, and molasses until warm (120° to 130°); add to ingredients in bowl.  Add 1 egg.

Blend with mixer at low speed for 1 minute.  Beat at high speed for 3 minutes.

Add pumpernickel flour, mix in, then add remaining all-purpose flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.

Change to dough hook and knead 6 minutes or knead by hand up to 10 minutes.

Let rise 20 minutes, covered, in warm place.

Divide into 12 pieces.  Shape into balls and  place on greased baking sheets, 2 inches apart.  Flatten into 4" circles.

Cover pans and let rise 20-25 minutes while preheating oven to 375°.

Brush dough with 1 egg mixed with water, carefully, just before baking.  Bake 18-20 minutes on lower rack.

Cool on rack.

Shape dough into 18 pan rolls in a 13 x 9" pan if desired.

12 Buns or 18 pan rolls