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One-Hour Swedish Limpa Bread. This is the stuff on which dreams are made.
WHAT?!? No really. It’s a yeast bread that is done—start to finish—in under one hour. It’s not just any quick loaf; this is a fast take on a classic Swedish rye lightly scented with orange zest and toasted fennel seed. Imagine slicing a warm piece, toasting it gently in a skillet with a touch of sweet butter, and breathing in that heady aroma. Slathered with preserves or jam, it becomes a simple, emotional pleasure: fresh bread at its best.
Bread has taken a beating in diet debates, but the truth remains: there’s nothing like the smell of bread in the oven. Even better is the fact that this loaf goes from mixing bowl to table in about an hour. That makes it perfect for an impromptu accompaniment to soups and stews or for bringing to a dinner gathering.
Cook’s Notes
- I prefer a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, but the recipe includes instructions for hand mixing and food processor methods so anyone can make it.
- Line your pan with parchment or a silpat. Fresh soft bread clinging to a pan is a sad sight; a liner saves you that trouble.
- I form this loaf into an oval because it slices and toasts more uniformly, but you can shape it into a boule if you prefer a round loaf.
- We slash the top of the loaf to provide a controlled escape for steam. Without that, the bread can burst unpredictably and lose its shape.
One Hour Swedish Limpa Bread {orange and fennel scented rye}
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 pound, 9.5 ounces by weight
- 1 cup medium rye flour 3 5/8 ounces by weight
- 2 Tablespoons instant yeast also known as Bread Machine Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt if using table salt, reduce to 1 1/2 teaspoons
- The zest of one orange
- 1 tablespoon fennel seed toasted
- 2 cups very warm water about 120°F
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons molasses
Instructions
Mixing the dough by Stand Mixer (preferred):
- Combine the flours, yeast, salt, orange zest, and toasted fennel seed in the bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
- With the mixer running, slowly add the warm water and molasses, then add the butter. Continue mixing on low until the dough comes together and becomes smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove the bowl, scrape any dough from the hook, form a smooth dough ball by hand, return it to the bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Mixing the dough by Food Processor:
- Pulse the flours, yeast, salt, orange zest, and fennel seed 10 times in the processor fitted with a blade. With the processor running, slowly pour in the water and molasses and add the butter through the feed chute. Process until the dough forms a cohesive ball. Spin the dough ball 20 times, stop the machine, remove the dough, shape it into a smooth ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 15 minutes.
Mixing the dough by Hand:
- Whisk the flours, yeast, salt, orange zest, and fennel seed in a large bowl. Gradually add the water and molasses, then the butter, and stir into a shaggy dough. Knead by hand about 8 minutes until smooth. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let rise for 15 minutes.
- If kneading in the bowl is difficult, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to knead, then return it to the bowl to rise as instructed.
To Shape The Loaves:
- Turn the dough onto a clean surface and divide it in half. Dust hands with flour and shape each piece into an oval or ball by pulling the edges down and tucking them under. Place loaves 5–6 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat (or lightly greased). Use a sharp knife to slash the top about 1/4 inch deep to allow steam to escape.
To bake the loaves:
- Arrange racks in a cold oven with one rack at the very bottom and one in the center. Place the baking sheet with the loaves on the center rack and a pan filled with very hot tap water on the bottom rack. Close the oven and set it to 400°F. Start in a cold oven—this helps build steam. Bake for 40 minutes.
- The crust should be deep brown and firm. Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool if you want neat slices, or tear into one while warm and enjoy with cold, sweet cream butter.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
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