Tender with a slight chew, this tangy rye bread is excellent for any full-flavored sandwich. Don't be afraid of the black cocoa! It simply adds a striking contrasting color to the swirl without adding any cocoa flavor.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the cocoa/rye flour mixture, stirring until the dough comes together. Knead until smooth, adding additional water or all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should be soft and quite sticky. Let the dough rise until puffy, about 1 1/2 hours.
Lightly grease a long covered baker (or other 2-pound capacity loaf pan). Divide the dough in half. On a piece of greased parchment, pat one half into an 11" x 8" rectangle. Return the other half to the mixing bowl and add the cocoa/rye flour mixture to it. Knead the dough until it's uniformly colored.
Pat the colored dough into an 11" x 8" rectangle and place it on top of the first rectangle of dough. Starting with the long edge, roll the dough into a spiral, pinching the seam and rolling the log to about 13" long.
Place the dough in the prepared pan; add the cover if using the covered baker, or cover with greased plastic. Let rise until puffy looking, about 1 1/2 hours. After 1 hour, start preheating the oven to 400°F.
Uncover the loaf, brush with the beaten egg/water, and give the top three fairly deep diagonal slashes. Cover with the lid or tent loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more, until golden brown and the center of the loaf reads 200°F when measured with a digital thermometer.
Remove the bread from the oven and from the pan; place it on a rack to cool completely before slicing.
Store the bread, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
New to the long covered baker? Read this blog post about using your long covered baker.
For more rye flavor, use a total of 1 3/4 cups (186g) pumpernickel flour, eliminating the white or medium rye flour.
To bake this loaf in a round Dutch oven, you'll follow a slightly different shaping and baking method. Lightly grease the Dutch oven, or line with a round loaf lifter. Instead of patting the dough into a rectangle (steps 3 and 4), you'll roll each dough into a 14" rope. Pinch the ends of the ropes together and twist one over the other repeatedly, pinching them together at the opposite end. Coil the 2-strand braid inside the Dutch oven. Cover and let rise until puffy, about 1 1/2 hours. To bake, brush the top of the risen loaf with egg wash and replace the cover. Place in a cold oven, set the temperature to 425°F, and turn the oven on. Bake for 50 minutes, then remove the cover and reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake for 10 more minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center reads 200°F when measured with a digital thermometer. Remove from the oven and tip out of the Dutch oven to cool completely on a rack before slicing.
