Scanian Cumin Loaf and Basket Bread

Time for some bread recipes! Baking your own is very economical, here in Sweden at least where a loaf costs the equivalent of 3 dollars at the store. And when you make it at home, your whole house smells of freshly baked bread! So get your kitchen assistant and your baking gear out.

The proofing basket was a new acquaintance for me! My youngest daughter brought some home for me, what a nice surprise and the bread comes out looking terrific! Of course you can make these recipes without proofing baskets, too.

The Scanian Cumin Loaf is a very old recipe where the flour is scalded in boiling water, and very authentic for this region of Sweden. It produces a moist bread that keeps for a long time. It is easy to bake but it takes time since you make a starter the day before. But it really is worth the wait.

Here are the recipes:


Basket Bread:

50 g fresh yeast

4 dl water, room temperature

5 dl plain fluor

2 dl special flour ( high protein content)

2 dl wholewheat flour

1 tsp salt

for the proofing basket: plain flour and oat flakes

Method:

Set the oven to 225 C (437 F). In a bowl or the bowl of your kitchen assistant, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the flours. Work the dough thoroughly in the kitchen assistant 5 minutes or 15 minutes by hand.

Add salt and work it in. Flour the proofing basket, if using, and sprinkle in the oats. Place the dough in the basket and let it rise 1 hour.

Carefully turn the dough out on a baking sheet covered in baking parchment. Lower heat to 150 degrees C (300 F).

Place a bowl of hot water on the bottom of your oven. The steam will help create a nice crust. Bake the bread in the lower part of the oven, 45 minutes.

Scanian Cumin Loaf:

A wonderfully fragrant bread that requires very thorough kneading. It needs quite a lot of flour to reach the proper scanian texture. It also contains ättika, or vinegar, to enhance the rye flavor. Note that the total proofing and baking time for this recipe is 4,5 hours.

NIGHT BEFORE:

For this bread you need rågsikt, if you can't buy it make it by mixing rye flour 40% and wheat flour 60%. Then scald it like this: 10 dl boiling water is poured over 10 dl rågsikt +2 tbsp ground cumin seeds. Work into a sticky dough. Sprinkle some rågsikt on top and cover with cling film. Let it rest over night.

NEXT DAY:

you need: 

dough from yesterday +

2 dl water, 37 degrees C (104 F) 

50 g fresh yeast

1 tbsp salt

0.5 dl dark syrup/molasses

1 tbsp ättiksprit/ vinegar

1-5 liters rågsikt

6-8 dl wheat flour

then do this;

1. Dissolve yeast in the lukewarm water. Pour this over the dough and stir. Then add salt, syrup, vinegar and rågsikt.

2. Work the dough vigorously. Sprinkle some flour on the top and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise at room temperature, 2 hours.

3. Add the wheat flour. Start with half a liter and work it in vigorously. A strong kitchen assistant is good for this. Otherwise, knead the flour in on your worktop. You want the dough to be somewhat firm.

4. Split the dough in two. Shape into 2 oval smooth loaves. Place them on a baking sheet covered in baking parchment. Let it rise, covered with a clean baking towel, 50-60 minutes.

5. Set the oven to 175-180 degrees C. (347-356 F)

6. Prick the loaves with a stick and brush with lukewarm water with a dab of butter dissolved in it.

7. Bake approx 1 hour. Brush the breads again. Then let them cool on a grate, wrapped in baking cloth.

Enjoy!

Anki