Thursday, January 10, 2013

Swedish Flat-Bread (Tunnbröd)



Bread is one of our oldest communal foods dating as far back as 10,000 years or longer when we began to harvest grasses such as wheat and barley as agriculture began to shape our future. 

In many parts of the world flat breads are quite common many of which tracing their roots as far back as the written records themselves. Examples include the Jewish bread matzah or matzo which ever way you care to spell it, enjoyed during the week of Passover. Others include lavash, pita bread, Indian naan, native American mountain bread and Swedish tunnbröd which is the one I am baking today. Sweden boasts several quite popular flat breads many of which can be found the globe over such as the Wasa brand a verity of hard bread offering many flavors to choose from. Beyond those most all Swedish breads are whole grain almost of which containing some form of rye regardless of whether they are hard breads or fresh.

This is a very easy bread to bake and versatile as well! I am using a combination of white, rye and graham flour which is a whole grain wheat flour invented by 18th century minister Sylvester Graham who also invented the Graham cracker. In Sweden many people use hjorthornssalt or baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate) though baking power makes a good substitute. That said I am simply using instant yeast, which as the name would suggest doesn’t need to be diluted in water first. The bread can be prepared on the stove top or in the oven, and the longer you bake it the crispier it will get

Shopping List

Unbleached all purpose flour (AP flour)
Dark, medium or light rye flour
Graham flour
Butter or margarine
Milk, I am using full fat organic
Light syrup
Instant yeast
Sugar
Salt

My Mad Method

Ready to use or eat!!











Melt 50g butter, add 5dl milk and heat to 40c pour into mixer and add 1 TBSP syrup









Mix 460g (7dl) AP flour, 100g (2dl) rye and 110g (1.5dl) graham flour together with 20g instant yeast, ½ dl sugar and ½ tsp salt. Add to the mixer   







Mix to a cohesive dough, it will be ready when it just cleans the bowl and is soft to the touch








Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and proof for about 30 minutes









When it has proofed 30 minutes and doubled in size it will be ready to work









Fold out onto a clean work surface and divide into 12 circa 110g pieces









Roll out flat and perforate with a fork or spiky roller as shown here gently mark the dough








Transfer to a 300c preheated oven, I am using a pizza stone which has been in the oven sense I turned it on, and bake the bread for 2 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through





This is a Swedish styletunnbrödsrulle” or Swedish wrap as I call them prepared with this wonderful flat bread!! 
 





 


 


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