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Pumpernickel Bread and Spinach Dip


 I love pumpernickel bread and there seem to be a few ways to make it. Most recipes call for caraway seed but I'm not overly fond of it so I made it without.
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seed..optional
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 3 cups white flour, approximately
  • 2 tablespoons instant yeast
  1. Pour water, oil, molasses, beaten eggs, sugar, and salt in mixing bowl and mix well.
  2. Stir in cocoa powder, caraway seed, whole wheat flour, rye flour, white flour, and yeast. Add white flour 1 cup at a time and knead till smooth and slightly sticky but not sticky enough to cling to the side of the bowl.
  3. Place dough in well greased bowl, cover and set in a warm place to rise.
  4. Allow to rise until doubled,  2 hours.
  5. Punch down  dough and form into 2 round loaves and place them on a large greased cookie sheet.
  6. Let rise for 30 minutes and bake in a 375º oven for 35 minutes.
  7. If you want a chewier crust brush the bread with water the last 10 minutes of baking.

I remember it used to be popular to serve spinach dip in a pumpernickel bread bowl at showers or parties. I hadn't had this in many years, it is every bit as good as I remembered. This dip is enough to fill 1 pumpernickel bread.

Spinach Dip:
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped and cooked 
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup dry vegetable soup mix
  1. Wash, chop and cook spinach, the only water you need for cooking are the drops of water on the leaves from washing. Cook just until it wilts and turns bright green, takes about 2 minutes, drain liquid. 
  2. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and dry vegetable soup mix. Add spinach and stir until well blended.
  3. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
  4. Before serving, cut the top off the pumpernickel bread and tear off bite size pieces out of the center of the bread to form a bowl.
  5. Pour spinach dip into the bread bowl, place bits of bread around the bowl and serve.
  6. Once those pieces are gone start in on the bowl, this one's edible.

12 comments:

  1. what a great combination! Neat that we grannies are part of the future recipe collection for our younger family members! Thank you for sharing such DELICIOUS photos!

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  2. I agree this is such a great combination! I so love spinach dip and this is such an awesome recipe!

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  3. Pumpernickel bread is one bread that I have never made...what goes better with Pumpernickel than spinach dip...oh ya! Looks so good Betty.

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  4. I'm enjoying just loking at your picture today! I've never made pumpernickel either.

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  5. I've never looked at a recipe for this before so I did not even imagine that cocoa powder was in this.....crazy.

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  6. pumpernickel and spinach dip is such a classic and delicious combination.

    My one variation of spinach dip is to swap knor leek soup mix for the vegetable soup mix. It is really tasty both ways, but if you are looking for a twist I recommend the leek mix :)

    Oh, and my aunt had a *giant* loaf of bread baked into the shape of a turtle for her wedding. The top shell of it was removed and it had a bunch of spinach dip inside. It was glorious, haha.

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  7. I love this combination - it's a classic! I have never made bread before. I am more comfortable just buying it at the store ;)

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  8. ok where am i every time you make these delicious recipes mom? i double checked my answering machine...hmmm ;)

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  9. Pumpernickel bread is the perfect choice for spinach dip - I've bookmarked your recipe!

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  10. Made this one yesterday. Thought Pumpernickel bread would be too hard to make. So easy. Thanks for the recipe. It made a great supper. My one son(6) enjoyed it and had a few slices. I also made the dip to go with it. Can't have pumpernickel without spinach dip. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Ang Nickel

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  11. I attempted Pumpernickel last week out of an orange 1973 Betty Crocker cookbook. It all ended in tears. Some of those who did survive the ordeal bravely encouraged me to get back in the saddle and try it again. So thats why I'm here. -Todd

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  12. I add finely chopped water chestnuts to this recipe too for extra crunch. It just isn't the same without the water chestnuts. That is my favourite part of the dip!

    Oh and instead of vegetable soup mix, try onion soup mix. It's the best.

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