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Limpa
Sweet orange and fennel rye loaf
Swedish sweet rye loaf with orange, fennel and anise
Sweet, fragrant and a little dark, limpa is the soft rye loaf that Swedes slice thinly for breakfast and stack high on the Christmas julbord. Dark syrup gives it a gentle sweetness and a deep brown crumb, while orange zest, fennel and anise make the whole kitchen smell festive. The Christmas version, vörtlimpa, is made with wort or dark beer; this everyday loaf uses milk instead, so there is no alcohol. Eat it with butter and a sharp aged cheese, with marmalade, or with pickled beetroot and egg on the smörgåsbord. Rye dough is sticky by nature, and working in extra flour until it feels like wheat dough is the classic mistake that bakes a heavy brick; oil your hands instead. Chef's tip: brush the loaves with syrup and water the moment they come out of the oven, which gives them their soft, glossy, slightly sticky crust.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 3 ½ oz dark syrupor half black treacle, half golden syrup
- 1 tsp fennel seedslightly crushed
- 1 tsp anise seedslightly crushed
- 1 orange zestfinely grated, from 1 orange
- 9 oz rye flour
- 12 ½ oz strong white bread flourplus a little for shaping
- ⅓ oz salt
- 1 tsp neutral oilfor your hands
For the glaze
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tbsp hot water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Warm 1 ½ cups milk, 1 ⅜ oz butter and 3 ½ oz dark syrup in a pan over low heat until the butter melts. Add 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp anise seeds and 1 orange zest and cool until lukewarm.
10 minStep 2: Mix 9 oz rye flour, 12 ½ oz strong white bread flour, ⅓ oz fast-action dried yeast and ⅓ oz salt in a bowl. Pour in the spiced milk and work into a soft, sticky dough.
Step 3: Knead for 8 minutes with lightly oiled hands (use 1 tsp neutral oil) or in a mixer; the dough will stay tacky and won't be as springy as wheat dough.
8 minStep 4: Cover and leave to rise for 1½ hours, until roughly doubled.
90 minStep 5: Divide in two and shape each half, on a lightly floured surface, into a smooth oval loaf about 20 cm long. Place on a lined tray and prick the tops a few times with a fork.
Step 6: Cover and prove for 35–40 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan).
40 minStep 7: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until deep brown. The bases should sound hollow when tapped and the centre read 199°F.
35 minStep 8: Mix 1 tbsp golden syrup with 1 tbsp hot water and brush over the loaves straight away. Cool under a tea towel for a soft crust and slice only when completely cold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 175 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does limpa take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 145 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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