I made a loaf this morning and the same thing happened. I followed the Zojirushi recipe and checked it while kneading. It looked like yours, very sticky. I added more flour too. Came out so good! I remove the paddles before last rise, reshape and add corn meal to the pan. Great crust.

I like the black breads that use real coffee instead of the instant dry powder. I use a 1½ cup of coffee and don't worry about the added water [EDIT: but always let the coffee cool down 😉 ] I've been using a wheat and rye combination, but the pumpernickel looks like something I'd like to try.

I thought maybe the additional flour you added may have been unnecessary because, if your machine is like mine, the whole wheat cycle includes an additional time (they call it pre-ferment but I don't think it is) for water absorption. However, as my bread was in process I calculated the hydration rate and it is really high, between 85% to 90%. I watched the second kneading cycle spin what looked like a stiff batter. I didn't expect it to rise but it did so, quite a bit. I'm disabled and had all I could take in the kitchen so when baking was done my wife removed the loaf and brought it in to me for a look-see. The sides were quite high but the top had caved in about 1/2" below the sides. It smells delicious. I used instant coffee and 1/2 cup water instead of the strong coffee. I think next loaf will be 1-1/4 cups water, 1 cup dark rye, and 3 cups AP* flour for a hydration between 60% to 65%. Oh, and I used a couple teaspoons of bread improver. *Here in the Philippines stores rarely carry bread flour and almost never carry whole wheat flour, both of which need to be purchased at specialty stores or online. We stay away from the Philippine processed flours, even though they can be bought in bulk, because days to weeks after buying we end up sifting out the weevils. Unfortunately, Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur brands cost 10+ times higher than Philippines flour.

Awsom

I'm from moldova, it's a post soviet country, and the bread looks great

coffee? 😆

I suspect the unpleasant flavor some tasters noted was coming from your atrocious "espresso" brewing method. That's a really long pull to get that much liquid, which is greatly over-extracting your coffee and bringing out all the worst burnt/bitter/astringent flavors. Not all bitter flavors are unpleasant, and properly extracted espresso brings out the right balance of bright acidic flavors balanced by natural sweetness and a delightful bitterness. Over-extracted espresso tastes bitter like drain cleaner kind of bitter, not like a pleasant dark chocolate kind of bitter. That said, this is a great recipe and even if you use what may be the world's worst espresso, I suspect it's still going to be quite palatable.

Where is the recipe