2 Swedish Limpa Bread Recipes

SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD
Marcia Adams Heartland Cookbook
Courtesy of BumbleBeeBoogie - her most favorite bread recipe.

1 teaspoon anise seed 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon caraway seed 3 tablespoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon fennel seed 2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 & 3/4 cups water 2 & 1/2 cups medium rye flour
1/3 cup dark molasses 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon salt

In a small saucepan, combine the anise, caraway, and fennel seed with the water. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, then cool to lukewarm. Transfer the mixture to a mixer bowl, there should be 1& 1/2 cups of liquid.

Add the molasses, brown sugar, salt, oil, and orange rind and stir together. Whisk the yeast into the cooled seed mixture, then add the rye flour and beat until smooth, using the beater paddle of your mixer or a wooden spoon. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and continue mixing until thoroughly blended. Allow the dough to rest in the bowl for 15 minutes; it will be very stiff. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth (or transfer to the food processor, and using the plastic blade, process the dough for 45 seconds).

Grease your hands with vegetable shortening and form the dough into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour or until double in size.

Punch down vigorously and divide the dough into 2 pieces. Cup each piece of dough tightly between your hands to form a round ball. Grease a 12 x 17-inch pan and sprinkle with the cornmeal. Place the loaves in opposite corners of the pan and flatten slightly, you will have a patty 5 inches in diameter. Allow to rise 45 minutes. (Sometimes a loaf will not remain in a smooth round loaf during the second rising and will open up. If that happens, re-knead it thoroughly and reshape it again tightly into a ball and let it rise a third time.)

Preheat the over to 375 degrees F. 20 minutes before baking. Lightly slash an X across the top of each loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. When done, the loaves will be dark and crusty, and the bottom should sound hard and hollow when tapped with your hand. If not, return the loaves to the over for 5 or 10 minutes more, covering them with foil so they don't get too brown. Remove them to a wire rack to cool.

"Note:• If you don't have a warm place for the bread to rise, turn on your oven for 3 minutes at 140 degrees. Turn it off immediately and put in the bread to rise.

* * * * *

This recipe is similar to one a Finnish friend gave me several years ago. It is more moist and different in flavor and texture than James Beard's Limpa Bread recipe.

SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD
The Finnish version by my friend Dolores Olander
Courtesy of Luella Hanberry

1 & 1/2 cups of warm water Finely grated rind of 2 oranges
2 packages of active dry yeast 2 tablespoons soft butter
1/4 cup of light or medium molasses 2 & 1/2 cups of rye flour, sifted
1/4 cup of white granulated sugar 2 & 1/2 cups of all-purpose white flour, sifted
1 tablespoon of salt

Place the warm water in a large warm mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir until dissolved. Mix in the molasses, sugar, salt and orange rind.

Add the soft butter and rye flour; mix well. Stir in the all-purpose flour.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface; knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, work in a little more of the all-purpose flour (about 2 tablespoons.) The dough may optionally be kneaded with a power mixer and dough hook.

First rising: Grease a large bowl and place the dough in it. Cover it with a clean dry towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it is double in bulk, about 1 & 1/2 hours.

Second rising: Punch the dough down and let it rise again until it is doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Third rising: Flour your hands. Punch the dough down again. Divide the dough in half. Shape the dough into two round or oval loaves. Please the two loaves on one or two greased baking sheets. Cover loaves with a warm, damp towel. Let the dough rise again until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Uncover the two loaves. Bake them in a 375' oven for 35 minutes or until the loaves are a rich brown. Remove the loaves from the oven; brush them with additional melted butter.

This recipe makes two loaves that will keep well wrapped in refrigerator or freezer protective wrap. This bread is a lovely moist, dense, easy to slice bread, delicately flavored with orange, that makes wonderful sandwiches or toast.

I have not tested this recipe in a bread machine but it should be successful if you follow the machine's rye bread directions. The bread machine loaf may have a different texture than hand-kneaded loaves.