Simple Scandinavian bread

This is a delicious bread that I bake quite often. I would say it’s like a Danish bread except for not using sourdough in this bread, which make it even easier to prepare. My tip is to mix the ingredients in the evening and then let it rise over night. The next morning you can bake your bread and after 15-30min you have it ready and can enjoy freshly baked bread for breakfast.

Ingredients (1 loaf or 20 bread buns)

• 6 cups (625g) flour (e.g. unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour)
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs honey

If wanted, add e.g. sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. I topped my bread with sesame seeds.

Use a scale to measure the flour and the yeast. Mix the two ingredients and let is stand for 5 minutes. Thereafter, add seeds or nuts in to the flour if you want. Mix, in another bowl, water with salt and honey. Make sure the honey is dissolved in the water. Add the water mix to the flour mix and stir with a wooden spoon. You don’t have to stir a lot, just make sure the ingredients are mixed. The dough should be quite loose (don’t add more flour!). Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 12 hours.

After 12 hours, you can see your dough is now double the size. Decide if you want to do a loaf or buns.

Loaf: I always use my crockpot (Le Creuset). Heat the oven to 475ºF (should be really warm). Place the crockpot in the oven with lid on. Leave it empty in the oven for 15min to get really hot. Then take it out and place your dough in the pot. Decorate your bread with e.g. sesame seeds before putting the lid back on. Let the bread bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, take off the lid and let it continue to bake the rest of the time without lid. That will give the bread the perfect crunchiness.

Buns: Heat the oven to 475ºF. Place a baking paper on a baking pan. Use the wooden spoon to place 20 buns on the baking pan (yes, the dough is loose so it might be difficult to use your hands. It’s better with the spoon). Sprinkle the buns with e.g. sesame seeds. Place the baking pan in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.

Smaklig måltid!

The black plate is from Swedish H&M Home, which you find in their online store.