SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD ----- YUMMY!

I've been thinking about homemade bread for a while now. My go-to bread is the simple artisan bread that you make in a Dutch oven ... So easy and wonderful, like this one: http://www.jocooks.com/bakery/breads/crusty-bread/

A local bakery makes a wonderful Black Forest bread like my mother used to make. She also made Swedish Limpa. Every time I go to the market, I look for rye flour so I can be ready, but my favorite store never has it. Yesterday I went to Sprout's Market and was excited to find dark rye flour. So this morning I made Swedish Limpa for the first time.

Instead of using my Kitchenaid mixer and the dough hook, I decided to follow the recipe and mix and knead by hand. Luckily my right shoulder has somewhat healed! It's a messy business.

But I did get through the kneading part, and got the dough into the greased bowl to rise.

After punching it down and transferring to a pan to rise again, it baked and cooled for a very short time before I sliced it in half. It smells so good. And tastes wonderful! The outside is so crusty, the inside so tender ..... You can definitely taste the orange zest. It's on the sweet side and I love the flavor of the fennel and caraway seeds. This bread is a winner. I'll try my mixer and dough hook the next time.

Unfortunately my printed recipe does not have a website link, as I had to reduce it in size and screen print it. But, just for you, I will retype it.

SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD
Hand mix:
1 package (2-1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. warm tap water

1-1/4 cups warm tap water
1 tbsp. soft butter
1/2 tbsp. table salt
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. caraway seed
Zest of one orange
1-1/2 cups bread flour
1-1/2 cups rye flour
Up to about 1 more cup flour, as needed
Butter

In small bowl, proof yeast with sugar and 1 tbsp. warm water. (If it doesn't bubble up, the yeast is dead and you'll need to repeat this step with new yeast.)

In a large mixing bowl, mix water, 1 tbsp. butter, salt, honey, brown sugar, fennel, caraway and orange zest with wooden spoon. Gently stir in 1 cup flour and proofed yeast. Add remaining bread flour and rye flour until combined, then knead for 5 minutes, adding bread flour as needed.

Transfer to greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place til double. With a fist, gently deflate the dough. Form into a round loaf, transfer to a greased loaf pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until double.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake loaf for 35-45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan, brush top with butter, finish cooling.