Austrian Pumpernickel Bread

This recipe is from week 17 of my food blog, Travel by Stove. I am attempting to cook one meal from every nation on Earth, and Austria is my 17th stop. This recipe makes a very dark, slightly bitter pumpernickel bread that is best paired with other strong flavors.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 6 3⁄4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3⁄4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
• 1⁄2 cup dark molasses
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  tablespoon caraway seed
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 2 1⁄2 cups  dark rye flour
• 1  cup  shredded wheat cereal
• 1⁄4 cup  cocoa
• 2 -2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
•  cornmeal
•  butter or  margarine, softened

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it sit until it is frothy. Then add the molasses, vegetable oil, caraway seed, salt, rye flour, shredded wheat and cocoa.
2. Mix until smooth, then add the all-purpose flour until the dough develops a good texture. Turn it out onto a floured surface and cover. Let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes.
3. Knead the dough until it is smooth.
4. Now place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm place until the dough has about doubled in size, which usually takes about an hour.
5. Sprinkle a greased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch down the dough and divide in two, shaping each half into a round loaf. Put loaves onto opposite corners of the cookie sheet so they don't bake into each other. Brush the top of each loaf with some melted butter, then let them rise again until they've about doubled, another hour or so.
6. Bake the bread in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when you rap them with your knuckles.