Recipe For Cooking Swedish Limpa Bread

Toast Oven Breads :: Sweet and Savory Yeast Breads

Swedish Limpa Bread

A traditional Christmas bread.

2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/2 C. warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 C. molasses
1/3 C. sugar
2 tea. salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 1/2 tea. aniseed
2 Tbsp. grated orange peel
2 1/2 C. med. rye flour
2 1/2 C. flour
Cornmeal

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Stir in molasses, sugar, salt, vegetable shortening, aniseed, orange peel and rye flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough flour to make dough easy to handle (dough will be sticky). Turn dough onto slightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 to 15 min.

Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 min. Place in prepared bowl; turn prepared side up. Cover, let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hr.. Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.

Punch down dough; round up and let rise until double, about 40 min.

Grease cookie sheet; sprinkle with cornmeal. Punch down dough; divide in half. Shape each half into a round, slightly flat loaf. Place loaves in opposite corners of cookie sheet. Let rise 1 hr..

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until loaves sound hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 min. Remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire racks.