I finally followed the recommendation of some of my fellow bakers and watched the
video before doing this recipe. Therefore, I already knew that these loaves do not at all look like the Pumpernickel I know.
I used to study and work for some years in Münster, Germany. In this region (Westfalen) Pumpernickel is a specialty. Regional cookbooks even feature some desserts made with it and many people visiting relatives or friends abroad bring Pumpernickl as a gift. The bread looks more like whole-grain bread, see for example
here.
Fortunately I knew how this recipe should look like (and how it should be shaped! I would have never understood just by reading the recipe!), so I was not surprised. I made half the recipe and it turned out in one loaf and three small rolls. It is not too difficult and you need no kitchen machine to do it, just some rising and kneading. You can do it in one day, as it needs only two, not too long rising periods and some resting time.
This bread is not one of my favourites. I guess I don't particularily like the chocolate in it, although it is not too dominant. Maybe I didn't use enough spices, too. Or maybe it is because I am a big fan of the Pumpernickel as I know it.
So, as soon as the bread was at room temperature, I made crumbs from two rolls and used them for a pumpernickel-chocoalte topping on an apple crisp. This was definitely the best use for it, in my view. :-)
Maybe I should have chilled the dough a bit longer (mine was in the fridge for about four hours) because I had to bake the cookies a bit longer and they cracked as usually cookies do - despite the recipe says they won't. They also didn't firm completely but kept a chewy texture.
