Swedish Limpa Bread

A Tiny Commitment

“It was no quick thing Adam contemplated, to be finished and ready in a hurry. His men worked deliberately and slowly. It was a long job. Adam wanted it well done.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Making a loaf of bread is a commitment. Time and faith. Time to mix the dough long enough to develop the gluten in the flour. Time to check back to gauge the rising time and then the baking time. Being engaged with the process means time spent at home, without rushing. Making bread is that way. There is only so much that can be done to speed up the process without compromising the outcome. Faith that the yeast will activate. That the dough will rise from a lump into a light and gorgeous loaf. It’s a thing of joy, a finished loaf of bread. A reward for a tiny commitment of time and faith.

Searching for the best recipe for Swedish Limpa Bread I found so many different recipes. Most recipes contain varying amounts of rye flour, orange, fennel, caraway and anise to give the bread it’s classic flavor profile. Like Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies the internet and my cookbook collection revealed more recipes than I could ever begin to try. I started my Swedish Limpa baking adventure with the King Arthur Flour recipe.

Essentials

This is not a dark American rye bread studded with chewy caraway seeds, destined for a hearty deli sandwich. Rather this is a delicately balanced bread, sweet from a medley of spices, that gracefully moves from toast with jam to a companion for winter soups, stews and braises. The Limpa is ever so faintly sweet from the agave, orange and spice. Toasting and chopping the seeds brought a wealth of aromas to my kitchen. Did I mention the freshly grated orange zest?

As much as I like citrus I found that the orange oil used in the original recipe from King Arthur Flour overpowered the delicate balance of spices and nutty rye flour in the Limpa. Using more spice with a quick toasting and a robust amount of zest paired with orange extract brought the flavors back into balance. I also used more rye flour, adding to the nutty whole grain flavor without letting the bread become heavy and dense.

A commitment to bread means having the right ingredients. And the best ingredients make the best bread. Since rye flour is a low gluten flour the Limpa will be a better loaf if made with bread flour rather than all-purpose flour. Indeed, most all yeasted bread will have a better outcome if a higher protein or bread flour is used in baking. Use fresh spices. If the seeds are over a year old, its time to purchase fresh spices. Pump up the flavor by toasting the seeds. Its five minutes well spent. Finely chop all the seeds that are part of the bread dough, so that no large pieces or one specific spice will surprise those lucky enough to enjoy a slice of Swedish Limpa.

	Ingredients
3/4t	caraway seed
3/4t	fennel seed
3/4t	anise seed
1C	water 100-110°
2-1/4t/1 pkt	active dry yeast
1/4C/4T	unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4C	agave syrup/nectar
1T	molasses
1/4C	instant non-fat dry milk powder
1T	orange zest
1t	orange extract
2t	fine grain sea salt
2-1/4C	bread flour
1C	dark rye flour (whole grain rye flour)
1	egg white
1T	water
pinch	caraway, fennel and anise seeds

1. Toast the caraway, fennel and anise seeds in a skillet on medium heat. The seeds will become fragrant and the fennel seeds will turn a bright spring green when toasted. Let cool and then crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle or finely chop with a knife or in a small blender.
2. Lightly butter the interior of a bowl for proofing the bread dough and a 9”x 5” loaf pan. Butter the top rim of the loaf pan too.
3. Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whipping attachment. Add the yeast and mix until dissolved. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the butter, agave and molasses to the mixing bowl and thoroughly combine. Then add the milk powder, zest and extract and thoroughly combine.
4. Remove the whipping attachment and the bowl from the stand mixer. To the mixing bowl add the salt, both flours and all the seeds. Place the bowl back on the stand mixer and attach the dough hook. Mix all the ingredients together, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Once the ingredients are throughly combined, mix the dough for five minutes on medium-low speed. The dough will appear to be sticky, resist the temptation to add more flour. With your hands form the dough into a round ball and place in the prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let proof until puffy and almost doubled in size.
5. Heat the oven to 400°. Deflate the dough and then shape into a rectangle. Place the dough in the prepared loaf pan and gently press the dough into the corners of the pan. Make sure the dough is of even thickness across the entire pan. Let proof until puffy and almost doubled in size. When ready, the dough will rise to the edge of the loaf pan, forming a dome shape in the center. When poked with a floured covered finger the indentation in the dough will spring back slightly and the bread will be proofed and ready to bake. (If the indentation closes back up the dough is not ready to bake. If the indention does not spring back the dough is over-proofed.)
6. Whisk together the egg white and one tablespoon on water. Gently brush the surface of the loaf with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with a smattering of caraway, fennel and anise seeds. Bake the Limpa for 25-30 minutes until the crust is a dark, shiny mahogany brown. The internal temperature of the bread will be 200°. Let the bread cool for ten minutes and then turn out on a cooling rack to finish cooling before slicing.