This is my take on Swedish rye bread, using some of the treasures I discovered during our holiday in Sweden. This recipe will make two large loaves, with a pleasant crackly crust and a faint anise flavor. The Graham flour adds a nice bit of crunch and the "sirap" makes for a little sweetness. I was very happy with my two different bottles of "brödsirap", only to discover that it is a sirupy concoction of sugar and malt or just sugar.... easily substituted I think by brown sugar, treacle, or molasses (stroop). 
Recipe (yields two large loaves):350 gr rye flour
500 gr white breadflour
100 gr Graham flour (substitute: grof volkoren)
300 gr whole wheat flour
2 tbs yeast
3 tbs vegetable oil
3 tbs malted "brödsirap" (substitute: stroop/treacle)
150 gr milk
520 gr warm water
2 ts anise seeds (optional)
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3 ts salt
In the bowl of your standmixer combine all ingredients (salt added later after autolyse) and mix until just combined, cover and let rest for about 20 minutes (=autolyse). Add salt and mix on speed 1 (Kenwood stand mixer has 6 speeds) for 7 minutes. This will make a supple slightly tacky doughball, and after this I like to knead by hand for just a few turns to get a feel for the dough and sometimes adding a little flour to make a more firm doughball.
Ferment (first rise) until tripled (approx. 1 to 2 hrs).
Divide the risen dough into two pieces, deflate and round them into tight balls. With your hands coat them lightly in oil, cover them with plastic wrap and let double in bulk, about 1 hour. (second rise).
Shaping and proofing: Again shape the risen balls into your preferred form (oblong, rounds), lightly oil their tops and cover again with plastic wrap. This third rise gives you a tender more finely textured interior.
Let the loaves proof until doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 450F or 225 C. Spray the loaves with water and bake for 10 minutes, turn down the oven to 350F/180C and bake for another 35 minutes, until deeply browned, check for doneness and let cool on a rack.
These breads are excellent with meat and cheese as well as jams or jellies (or chocolate sprinkles of course). Enjoy!
I love the look of rustic breads like these. They look great!
ReplyDeleteWell and maybe those original syrups can be substituted, I'd just love the real stuff. Just for the sake of the language and different look and the memories attached to them! Maybe it's my tic, but it always just sounds better, looks better and well it must taste better too then..if only in my mind ;-D
Those look beautiful! I had often wondered about what one would substitute for the malt wash called for in some bread recipes, do you think ordinary keukenstroop does it the same?
ReplyDeleteI would have loved some of your bread with my butternut soup for lunch. I think I'll make some this week :)
Ash, I would think so, but if you are real set on the malty flavor search a nearby mill for malt powder. Malt is not an acquired taste here in the Netherlands as it is in other countries as Great Britain (think of chocolate in England).I would love to have the recipe for butternut soup btw...
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful bread, Baking Soda!
ReplyDeleteYou should enter this for the Bread Day event!