AIP Bread: Pumpernickel Bread

(Note: This post contains affiliate links)

This AIP bread recipe took a long time for me to drum up enough courage to post on the Internet.  After all, the autoimmune protocol (AIP) and bread just seem like polar opposites – like water and oil.  Could there be a recipe for a loaf of AIP bread worthy enough to share?  I just wasn’t sure if pumpernickel bread would be well received, especially since it’s nowhere similar to fluffy square sandwich loaves.  Dark, dense, and complex, it would seem like an acquired taste especially for folks used to white sandwich bread.

However, my family enjoys it every time I make it and each loaf gets finished very quickly (my kids love it).  Made from plantain flour, tigernut flour, and tapioca starch, this bread is leavened with active dry yeast and makes a welcome change from flat breads.  You can make plantain flour very easily if you have a dehydrator and access to green plantains, or otherwise purchase it from ethnic markets.  I get mine from an international market or a local African grocery store.

This bread can be served as a sandwich (chicken salad, anyone?), as toast with sweet jam or marrow butter, spread with pâté, served with a hearty soup or even simply dipped in good olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  It is a pretty versatile AIP bread!

I decided to offer my bread recipe in a downloadable pdf format, with an option to make a voluntary contribution.  You are more than welcome to download the recipe for free and test it out if you are skeptical.  Hopefully, you will enjoy it and make it a recipe to include in your AIP repertoire!

In order to download the recipe, click on the image above, here, or the button just below this sentence.

Click here to download

Certain equipment/ ingredients that can be purchased online:

• Loaf pan
• Stand mixer
• Immersion blender
• plantain flour
• tigernut flour
• tapioca starch
• active dry yeast
• Maple syrup
• Blackstrap molasses
• gelatin
• Cream of tartar
• Baking soda
• Sea salt
• Coconut oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Carbonated water

Some frequently asked questions:

1) What flours/ starches does it require?

– The recipe calls for plantain flour, tigernut flour, and tapioca starch.

2) Can I substitute the flour/ starch with another ingredient?

– No, as the combination of plantain and tiger nut produces the unique colour and flavour of the Pumpernickel bread. The tapioca starch may be substituted with arrowroot starch though.

3) What is it leavened with?

– A combination of active dry yeast (yes, this is AIP-compliant) and baking soda with cream of tartar.

4) I am unable to take yeast. Is there a yeast-free version of this bread recipe?

– I do not have a yeast-free bread recipe at the moment but will definitely make it available when I create one successfully!

5) Does it contain coconut? I am coconut-intolerant.

– The recipe calls for coconut oil, but is otherwise free of other coconut products such as coconut flour or coconut milk.

6) What do you use as a binder if the recipe is egg-free?

– Gelatin powder is used as a binder. If you are using the Great Lakes brand of gelatin it would be the red can (not the green can, which is collagen hydrolysate).

7) Are there any sweeteners used?

– Maple syrup and blackstrap molasses are used.

8) Do I need any special appliances or kitchen tools to make this loaf?

– You will need a narrow loaf pan of less than 5″ width (I used a 4.4” wide pan) for best results plus an oven capable of heating between 200°F/ 93°C and 350°F/ 175°C. Other recommended appliances include an immersion blender (a food processor or blender would work too), a stand mixer (though a hand held mixer could work), and preferably a food thermometer to test for doneness.

9) What format is the recipe file in?

– It is in pdf format. You can view it on your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You can also print it out if you wish. As this is an electronic product, I am unable to offer refunds.

10) I have problems downloading the recipe, what should I do? 

– If you are trying to download through your mobile device, try using a laptop or desktop computer instead.  It may take up to several minutes for the download link to appear in your email receipt and is normal.  Be sure to check your e-mail junk folder in case the e-mail with the download link gets rerouted there.  Try downloading the recipe again.  For more troubleshooting tips, check this link.