Svenskt Vete Bröd Swedish Coffee Bread Recipes

SWEDISH TEA RING (COFFEE BREAD)

Steps:

• Heat the milk, add the butter and sugar, then the yeast and egg: Pour milk into a small saucepan and heat on medium heat until steamy (but not boiling). Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and sugar until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Pour into a mixing bowl. Mix in yeast mixture and the egg.
• Add the spices, then gradually add the flour: Mix in the salt and cardamom. Slowly add in 2 cups of the flour. After the first two cups, gradually add more flour until a soft dough starts to form into a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Knead the dough: Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth, OR use a dough hook in a stand-up mixer and knead the dough for 7 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep the dough from being too sticky. Note: the dough should remain soft, so take care not to add too much flour.
• Let the dough rise and double in size: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, covered with a clean tea-towel or with plastic wrap. Let rise for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Make 2 simple braids, or form 1 filled wreath: At this point you can make a simple braided bread if you want (2 loaves), by punching the dough down, dividing the dough in half, and then dividing each half into three equal parts, rolling the dough pieces into ropes, braiding them, and tucking the ends under. Or you can get more fancy, which is what we've done here, with a filling, and forming the dough into a wreath shape. The following directions are for the wreath form.
• Divide and flatten the dough into 2 rectangles: Press the dough down to deflate it a bit. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Take one part (saving the other for wreath number 2) and use your fingers to spread it into a 8-inch by 16-inch rectangle on a lightly floured, clean, flat surface. If you are having difficulty getting the dough to keep its shape, just do what you can and let it sit for 5 minutes before trying again. Like pizza dough, the dough needs time to relax while you are forming it. Brush the dough with melted butter, leaving at least a half-inch border on the edges so the dough will stick together when rolled.
• Make the filling and fill the dough: Mix together the brown and white sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle the dough with half of mixture (saving the other half for the second batch of dough). Sprinkle on more fillings, as you like, such as raisins, slivered almonds, or almond paste. You could even sprinkle on some cream cheese for a creamier filling.
• Carefully roll the dough and form a ring: Carefully roll the dough up lengthwise, with the seam on the bottom. Carefully transfer to a greased baking sheet. Form a circle with the dough on the baking sheet, connecting the ends together to make a ring.
• Cut the dough and shape the wreath: Using scissors, cut most of the way through the dough, cutting on a slant. Work your way around the dough circle. After each cut, pull out the dough segment either to the right or to the left, alternating as you go around the circle. The dough circle will look like a wreath when you are done. Repeat the steps with the rest of the dough, to form a second wreath.
• Let the shaped dough rise: Cover the wreaths lightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm area for a second rise. Let rise for about 40 minutes to an hour; the dough should again puff up in size.
• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Brush the dough with egg wash and bake: Whisk together the egg yolks and cream. Use a pastry brush to brush over the dough. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes of baking, if the top is getting well browned, tent with some aluminum foil.
• Cool, then drizzle with optional glaze: Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar and water to create a final glaze (optional). Add more water if the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too runny. Drizzle the glaze in a back and forth motion over the pastry.

SWEDISH COFFEEBREAD

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, let stand for 5 minutes.
• 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, vegetable oil and beaten egg, mixing well.
• 3. Stir in yeast mixture.
• 4. Add 3 cups of the flour, mixing well. Gradually add remaining flour, one cup at a time. When the dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl, turn it out on a lightly floured surface. Gradually knead in remaining flour until dough is smooth and elastic.
• 5. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size.
• 6. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Gently punch dough down and divide into thirds. With each dough portion, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry brush, brush dough with softened butter. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 TBSP. and 1 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon mixture on dough (reserve remaining mixture for the other two dough portions). Roll up dough, jelly roll style. Pinch dough at both ends and along the long seam to seal. Form dough into a circle and place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Using scissors, cut 1" slices all around the dough ring, only cutting 2/3rd of the way down. Then fan out each alternating slice. Cover and let rise until almost doubled. Repeat procedure with two remaining dough balls.
• 7. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes. When coffeebread is first removed from the oven, using a pastry brush, brush with melted butter.
• 8. YIELDS: 3 COFFEEBREADS (or Swedish Tea Rings) OPTIONAL: Icing: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 TBSP. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla. Drissle over cooled coffeebread. Can also be served with cream cheese.

SWEDISH KNäCKEBRöD

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl or food processor and cut or pulse in butter.
• Gradually add the milk with a spoon or pulse until you have a stiff dough.
• On a lightly floured board roll out as thin as you can.
• Cut dough into strips about 2"x3" and punch lots of small holes in each.
• Bake at 300 on lightly greased pan until lightly browned- about 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack then store at room temperature.
• Will keep 5-7 days.

SWEDISH CRISPBREAD (KNäCKEBRöD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in the water (if using dry yeast, follow instructions).
• Add salt and fennel/aniseed.
• Add rye and enough wheat flour to make a quite firm dough.
• Knead vigorously for at least five minutes.
• Divide into 16 parts and roll to balls.
• Let rise, covered, for 40 minutes.
• Heat the oven to maximum heat.
• Roll out one piece at a time to a thin circle, 8-10 inches in diameter.
• Use plenty of rye flour when rolling.
• Make a one-inch hole in the middle.
• Prick the surface all over with a fork (in Sweden we have special rolling pins for this purpose).
• Bake one at a time on a dry tray in the oven for about 2-4 minutes.
• They should get brown, but not too burnt.
• Slip them on a stick (e. g. a broom) through the hole in the middle to cool.
• Store in a dry place and eat with butter, cheese and/or pickled herring, maybe together with beer and aquavit.

BREAD MACHINE SWEDISH COFFEE BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
• When the dough cycle has finished, divide into three equal portions. Roll each piece into a rope 12 to 14 inches long. Lay the three ropes side by side, then braid together. Tuck the ends underneath, and place onto a greased baking sheet, cover loosely with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush the braid with beaten egg white and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

GRANDMA NETT'S SWEDISH COFFEE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix yeast and lukewarm water in a large bowl to proof and set aside.
• Scald milk in a large saucepan. Add butter, sugar, salt, and cardamom to milk and cool to lukewarm. Once milk is lukewarm, add to yeast mixture.
• Add eggs and mix well.
• Add half the flour, mix, add remainder, mix and knead on floured board until smooth and satiny.
• Place in lightly buttered bowl, turning over once to coat with shortening. Cover with thin towel. Let rise in warm place until double.
• Punch down and form braids on greased baking sheet. (Divide in 2, then each half in 3, then each of these in 3 . Braid 3 portions together. Total 6 short loaves.).
• Let rise and bake until golden and springs back when thumped.
• No temp given, but we assume 350 and about 25 minutes to bake.

BREAD MACHINE SWEDISH COFFEE BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
• When the dough cycle has finished, divide into three equal portions. Roll each piece into a rope 12 to 14 inches long. Lay the three ropes side by side, then braid together. Tuck the ends underneath, and place onto a greased baking sheet, cover loosely with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush the braid with beaten egg white and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

SWEDISH COFFEE BRAIDS (BREAD)

Steps:

• Soften yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and 1/2 tsp sugar and set aside.
• In mixing bowl combine scalded milk, sugar, salt and Crisco, cool to lukewarm, and add yeast and 1 of the eggs.
• Gradually add flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead in remaining flour until smooth and satiny, about 5-8 minutes.
• Cover and let rise until double.
• Divide dough in two and on a floured surface with a rolling pin roll out each dough to about 12x9 size.
• Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar and chopped walnuts.
• Starting with 12-inch side, roll up jelly roll style seal seams and ends and place each roll seam side down on cookie sheet (greased).
• Take scissors (or knife) and snip part way through each bread roll one inch apart in a tractor tread style.
• Cover and let rise again.
• Brush both bread rolls with another beaten egg and sprinkle nuts over both.
• Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes.
• Allow to cool slightly and if desired ice with favorite icing recipe.

LEFSE - SCANDINAVIAN POTATO FLATBREAD

Steps:

• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, add salt and butter; mash.
• Chill.
• Mix baking powder with a small amount of flour and add to potatoes.
• Add enough flour so that the dough can be rolled very thinly on a floured board.
• Roll only a small portion at a time.
• Cut into quarters and bake on a hot (400F), lightly greased griddle, browning lightly on both sides.