Swedish Limpe

A recipe for Limpe was in a 4-H book, Breads of Many Lands that I used when I was in high school in California. I like it with more caraway seed than that recipe had and a higher proportion of rye flour. After the recipe was published in the LTX company newsletter, a co-worker told me that it would be even better with grated orange rind, so I'm adding that. But make the recipe even if you don't have orange rind handy.

A Swedish co-worker at Dragon said that yes, it tasted like Limpe.

• 1 1/2 C water
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1 T caraway seeds
• 1/2 C warm water
• 1 T or 1 pkg active dry yeast
• 2 T oil
• 2 t salt
• 1 T grated orange rind
• 3 C white flour
• 3 C rye flour

Into a small saucepan measure 1/2 C water, brown sugar, and caraway seeds. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, pour into large mixing bowl. Add 1 C cold water.

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 C warm water.

After yeast dissolves, stir 2 C white flour into liquid in large bowl. Add dissolved yeast. Add 1 C rye flour. Mix well. Let rise for about an hour or until bubbly in a warm place.

Add salt, oil, and orange rind and mix. Add remaining rye flour and as much of the remaining white flour as it takes to make a kneadable dough. Knead well, adding the last of the white flour as required.

Let rise in oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap, until doubled.

Punch down and form two balls. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Let the loaves rise again on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Bake about 40 - 50 minutes

If you want a shiny crust, brush the tops with eggwhite or milk five minutes before the end of the baking time.