Ragnar Rye - dark apple and sour dough limpa style bread

Limpa is a traditional swedish type of rye bread. It's moist, sweet and spicy. My version is sweetened with apple juice and syrup.

Ragnar Rye

Day 1, sour dough preparation

  • 1 dl of stone ground rye flour.
  • 1 dl of luke warm water (40 degrees centigrade).

Directions

  1. Stir the water into the flour in a jar made of glass or stainless steel.
  2. Cover slightly and put to rest in a warm place for three days (preferably above 22 degrees centigrade). Stir the mixture twice every day.

Day 4, sour dough preparation

  • 1 dl of luke warm water (40 degrees centigrade).
  • 1.5 dl of stone ground rye flour.

Directions

  1. Stir in the water and the flour into the mixture from day 1.
  2. Cover lightly and put to rest for 12h.
  3. Repeat (2) in the evening.

Day 4, scalding flour

  • 3.5 dl stone ground rye flour.
  • 4 dl boiling water (100 degrees centigrade).

Directions

  1. Pour the boiling water over the flour and stir meticulously until a thick porridge has formed.
  2. Cover and set to rest overnight.

Day 5, morning

  • 5 dl of luke warm water (40 degrees centigrade).
  • 5 dl of stone ground rye flour.
  • 1.5 dl sour dough from day 4.
  • Scalded flour from day 4.

Directions

  1. Mix the flour, water, sour dough and scalded flour in a large bowl or kneading machine.
  2. Cover and set to rest for 6-12h.
  3. Cover the jar with the remaining sour dough and refrigerate. This is now your "La madre".

Day 5, evening

  • 25g fresh yeast
  • 1 litre apple juice.
  • 1.5 dl dark syrup or 1.5 dl burned sugar/melass
  • 20 g salt
  • 2-3 tbsp. caraway seeds, crushed
  • 4 dl stone ground rye flour
  • 2 kg+ strong wheat flour

Directions

  1. Mix the wet ingredients with the sour dough mixture and yeast.
  2. Stir until there are more or less no lumps left.
  3. Mix in the flour. Add just enough flour to get a firm, but not dry dough.
  4. Knead the dough for 10 minutes in a kneading machine, or 20 minutes by hand.
  5. Add the salt and the caraway seeds and continue working the dough for 5 minutes in a kneading machine or 10 minutes by hand.
  6. Let the dough rest in room temperatur for about 2h if you're in a hurry. Otherwise, let it rest in the refrigerator for about 4h. When finished it should have doubled in size.
  7. Turn on the oven, 200 degrees centigrade.
  8. Pour the dough onto a floured baking board.
  9. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
  10. Knid the pieces, shaping them into loaves.
  11. Place the loaves in bread baskets
  12. Cover the bread baskets and put aside for 30 minutes.
  13. Carefully move the loaves from the bread baskets onto a baking sheet. Bake the loaves for 40 minutes or until there's a hollow sound when tapping the bottom of the loaves and they feel light. They should have an inner temperature of 98 degrees centigrade when finished.
  14. Let the loaves cool off on a grille, covered in towels.