Christmas Recipes > Swedish Christmas Bread

How to make Swedish Christmas bread:
A festive bread popular in Sweden.





Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pints stout
8 tablespoons black treacle
3 cups rye flour
3 cups strong plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
peel of 2 oranges
1 tablespoons ground aniseed or fennel seed
4 level tablespoons dried yeast
(see measure conversions for more information)

Method

- Melt the butter and add the stout, beating until lukewarm.
- Put into a large bowl and add the treacle, half the flour, salt, grated peel and aniseed or fennel.
- Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water and work it into the mixture.
- Retain about 1 cup plain flour, and work the remainder into the dough and mix well, beating until the dough is smooth and firm.
- Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk.
- Knead with the remaining flour until firm and glossy.
- Divide into 3 pieces and shape into long loaves.
- Put on to a greased baking tray, cover with a cloth and leave for 1 hour.
- Prick the surfaces of the loaves with a cocktail stick or thin skewer.
- Place in a preheated oven temp 150oC/300of/gas mark 2 for 1 hour.
- Halfway through baking, brush the tops of the loaves with a little black treacle mixed in water.
- Brush with the same mixture when the loaves are baked, and wrap them in clean tea towels to keep soft.