Swedish Rye bread

This used to be a recipe I made often but it is harder to find rye bread now that it was 40 years ago.

Farm Journal breads  Today I used the orange flavored version.  It took the zest of three navel oranges.

Swedish Rye Bread Supreme

Take your pick of caraway or anise seed or orange peel for flavoring

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/4 C. light molasses

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp shortening

1 1/2 .c boiling water

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 C. warm water ( 110-115º)

2 1/2 C. rye flour

2 to 3 tbsp. caraway seeds

3 1/2 to 4 C. sifted all purpose flour 

Combine brown  sugar, molasses, salt and shortening in large bowl; pour on boiling water and stir until sugar is dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.

Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve

Stir rye flour (stir before measuring) int brown sugar-molasses mixture, beating well.    Stir in yeast and caraway seeds’ beat until smooth. 

Mix in enough of the all purpose flour, a little at a time, first with spoon and then with hands. to make a smooth soft dough.  Turn onto lightly floured board’  knead until satiny and elastic , about 10 minutes.  Place dough in lightly greased owl; turn dough over to grease top.  Cover and let rise in warm place until doughs doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch down; turn dough onto lightly floured board and divide in half. round up dough to make 2 balls.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Shape into loaves and place in 2 greased 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 1/2” loaf pans.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Bake in moderate oven (375º)  25 to 30 minutes, covering with sheet of alumni flow for the last 15 minutes if loaves are browning too fast.  Turn onto wire racks to cool.  Brush loaves with melted butter while warm if you like a soft crust.  Makes 2 loaves.

Orange flavored rye Bread:  Omit caraway seeds and instead use 2 tblsp, grated orange peel

Anise-Flavored rye bread:   omit caraway seeds and in their place, use 1 tsp. anise seeds.