Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 07:36:51 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v105.n014 -------------- 001 - fredex Subject: Re: Swedish Limpah recipe Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 22:49:17 -0500 Perhaps it was the "swedish limpa" recipe I posted, taken from Bernard Clayton Jr's book "The complete book of breads" ?? Well, here it is again: Here's a recipe for a TERRIFIC loaf of bread. I've made it a number of times for luncheons at church and it's always received with open arms and rave reviews. Afterwards there are always a few people who come around hoping there's some extra they can take home! From "The Complete Book of Breads", by Bernard Clayton, Jr. published by Simon and Shuster, first edition, page 203. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swedish Limpa Rye [two large round loaves] This is one of the author's favorite loaves from among a dozen limpa recipes in his files. It has the chili-like flavor of crushed cumin seed, the unmistakable fragrance of fennel, and the pleasant goodness of orange. Studded with raisins, the loaf rises up to become a handsome brown ball. It sends forth a good aroma when toasted and buttered. INGREDIENTS: 2 packages dry yeast 2 cups warm water (105-115 Fahrenheit) 2.5 cups medium rye flour .25 cups EACH sugar and molasses 1 teaspoon EACH cumin and fennel, crushed or ground Grated rind of 2 oranges 1 cup raisins, light or dark 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour, approximately 3 tablespoons shortening 1 tablespoon salt BAKING SHEET: One baking sheet, greased or teflon PREPARATION: 20 minutes In a large bowl or cup dissolve yeast in water. Stir briskly with a fork or whip. Let it stand 5 minutes to begin its fermentation. With a large wooden spoon stir all of the rye flour, sugar, molasses, cummin, fennel, orange rind, raisins, and about 1.5 cups of white flour into the bowl. Beat until smooth-- about 100 strokes. Add 1 cup flour, stir, and beat in the shortening and salt. By hand add more flour, a little at a time, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is stiff. If a raisin works its way out, push it back into the dough. The slight discoloration that sometimes comes with working fruit into white dough will not be noticed in this dark loaf. KNEADING: 10 minutes Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board or counter top. Since this will be a slightly sticky dough, it may help to grease the fingers beore beginning. Knead until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. FIRST RISING: 50 minutes Put the dough into the large bowl (which has been washed and greased), cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place (80-85 F) until it doubles in bulk. You can test if it has risen by poking a finger in it; the dent will remain. SHAPING: 15 minutes Punch down dough with quick jabs of the fist and fingers. Turn it over; let rest for 10 minutes. Turn the dough onto the board, knead briefly to press out the air. With a sharp knife, cut into two pieces. Pat and roll the dough into round balls. Place on opposite corners of the baking sheet. Flatten slightly. SECOND RISING: 45 minutes Cover the dough with wax paper or foil and return to the warm place until doubled in volume. You can test if it has risen by poking a finger in it; the dent will remain. BAKING: 375 F 45 minutes Preheat the oven to 375 F. With a razor blade or sharp knife, slash a cross on top of each loaf. Bake in the oven. When the loaves are crusty and tapping the bottom crust yields a hard and hollow sound, they are done. If not, return to oven for an additional 10 minutes. If the loaves appear to be browning too quickly, cover with a piece of foil or brown sack paper. FINAL STEP: Remove from oven and place the loaves on a wire cooling rack. This limpa makes exceptionally good toast. The loaf freezes well. ------------------------------------------------------------------- My observations are that this is one FANTASTIC loaf of bread... and the author is correct in his statement that it makes exceptionally good toast but it usually doesn't last long enough to get anywhere near a toaster. When I make it I tend to find that it needs either a little LESS rye flour, or a little MORE water than the recipe calls for (to allow mixing in of the recommended amount of white without the dough becoming waaaaay too dry). I'd suggest that you may want to try 2.5 cups of water instead of 2, but you may want to try it as written first, just to see how you like it. Since it contains quite a bit of rye flour, it's low in gluten, and really does get sticky, so the cautions about dealing with stickiness are entirely appropriate. Also, since it contains a lot of rye (even more if you don't add extra liquid or cut back the rye a bit because it gets too stiff before you can get all the white flour worked in) it tends to take a lot of kneading and also may not rise well. I'd take that as a hint to do what I suggested above, i.e., add water or cut back on the rye a bit. You could also add in 2-4T of vital wheat gluten. Also, it may be my oven, but I find it tends to burn on the bottom if baked at even 350 F. The last time I made it I dropped the temperature to around 335-340 F, and covered the bottom of the baking sheets with aluminum foil (shiny side down) to prevent the bottom from getting so much heat. This just means the crust won't get quite so dark, and it may take a few more minutes in the oven to finish baking. And, I find it works better to make each loaf on a separate baking sheet, as they tend to crash into each other and become Siamese twins. In addition, I tend to use more raisins than the recipe specifies (closer to two cups than one)..., I don't think you can put too many raisins in a good raisin bread as long as there's enough dough to hold it all together! Enjoy! Fred ---- Fred Smith -- fredex@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -------------------------- --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.2 --------------- From: Diane Purkiss Subject: Steam Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 10:17:33 +0000 Tarheel_Boy@webtv.net (Skallywagg Forever) wrote: >I disagree with the practice of pouring water into a pan to create steam. >I don't believe the home oven can create enough heat to create enough steam. Can I join the fight? I don't do this. I do the thing Erich Kayster, I find to my delight, suggests, though I've done it for years - that is, I hurl a glass of water at the wall of the oven as I slide in the bread. Makes a LOT of steam. Then around 20 mins in I turn the bread, which disperses the steam so it can finish in a drying oven. -- Diane Purkiss --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.3 --------------- From: "Sue and Sam Hurwitz" Subject: Limpa bread for Bettyho33 - Never tried it, but here is the re Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 07:11:00 -0500 Limpa bread Class-breads ID-11 Sub-dessert Culture-Swedish Makes 2 loaves 1 1/2 cups water, warm 1/4 cups molasses 1/3 cups sugar 1 Tbs salt orange rind, grated, from 1 or 2 oranges 2 Tbs shortening, softened 3/4 Tbs to 1 1/2 Tbs, anise seed, finely ground, opt 3/4 Tbs to 1 1/2 Tbs, fennel seed, finely ground, opt, or caraway seed 2 pkg yeast, active, dry 2 1/2 cups rye flour 2 1/2 cups flour, up to 3 cups Hand method: Add yeast to warm water in mixing bowl and stir well todissolve. Mix in sugar, molasses, salt and orange rind. Add rye flour and shortening and stir until smooth. Mix in white flour. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Let rise until doubled in bulk (about one and one-half hours) in covered bowl set in warm place. Punch down and let rise again until almost doubled (about 30 mins.). Divide dough into two equal portions. Shape each into a round, slightly flattened, loaf and place in opposite corners of greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise about one hour. Bake until brown, about 30-35 mins., at 375F. Bread machine method: Add ingredients in order listed or as suggested by machine manufacturer. Set to dough, 2 pound loaf. Process. When done, divide dough into two equal portions. Shape each into a round, slightly flattened, loaf and place in opposite corners of greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise about one hour. Bake until brown, about 30-35 mins., at 375F. --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.4 --------------- From: Wcsjohn@aol.com Subject: Stones and Steam Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 08:26:51 EST Bob the Tarheel Baker wrote:-- >Let's start a fight! I agree with Maggie Glezer about not keeping a >baking stone in the oven all the time. I know it's gonna get dirty and >stained, but I'm not gonna help it get that way. I keep my stones in the oven all the time but it's down to sheer idleness as much as baking principle. >I use it only for bread (including pita and focaccia) and pizza. Interesting, I find that many dishes cooked in the oven benefit from an intial blast of heat. Pastry bases that are not blind baked before filling really do give much better results with an initial boost. Anything that you're trying to roast quickly, chicken wings, roasted vegetables, bones browned for stock-making, also benefit. Not a major point, however. >I disagree with the practice of pouring water into a pan to create steam. >I don't believe the home oven can create enough heat to create enough steam. I agree, I used to do it every time but I missed, on a couple of occasions and the bread wasn't any the worse so I gave up the "Steam Dance" and my hands are now almost fully recovered from scalds >I don't agree with opening the door again to spray with water after the >loaves have been put into the oven. There may be some steam created, but >it is minimal, and you lose a lot of heat by opening the door. I couldn't agree more, spritzing the oven is a total waste of time, effort and water and can actually result in reduced volume due to heat loss at a critical stage in the bread's expansion. >I spray my loaves just before I slide them into the oven and I don't open >the door again until it's time to check the temperature of the bread with >my instant thermometer. Out of curiosity, how "instant" is your thermometer response. Min takes up to 15 seconds before stabilising which is not a problem but is definitely not "instant" --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.5 --------------- From: debunix Subject: Re: water in a pan Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 09:42:27 -0600 >I disagree with the practice of pouring water into a pan to create steam. >I don't believe the home oven can create enough heat to create enough steam. I have to step back from the cloud of steam that burst out when I drop water in my heavy cast-iron pan in my oven. I certainly makes steam, and does make a difference in the crust. Diane Brown in St. Louis http://www.well.com/user/debunix/recipes/FoodPages.html --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.6 --------------- From: "Allen Cohn" Subject: RE: radiant heat Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 09:38:37 -0800 I'm surprised by Seth's assertion that there's very little radiant heat at the top of an oven. I would have thought that as long as the walls of the oven are thoroughly preheated, then all of them, including the oven ceiling, would radiate heat. (Any hot surface radiates heat, whether burning or not.) FYI, a few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Harold McGee, author of the food science book, "On Food and Cooking." I asked him of all three methods of heat transfer--convection, conduction, and radiation--which transfered more heat. He explained that that was actually a tricky question. The precise ratios change with some 5th-power formula (if I recall correctly...). But the key thing is that below the mid-300s (Fahrenheit) convection and conduction deliver a majority of the heat. But above the mid-300s radiation takes the lead. This is interesting to me because that is just the range in which the Maillard reaction starts taking place. And all my bread baking temperatures are above this threshhold. All in all, this is more confirmation that long pre-heats are vital for bread baking (unless you're using the cold start method, which I find is superior for my sandwich loaves--but then I only use 375 degrees for those bakes). Allen --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.7 --------------- From: Popthebaker@aol.com Subject: Re: Bob the Tarheel Baker Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 12:58:58 EST OK Bob, here goes. I leave my baking stone in the oven most of the time, removing it when the task at hand does not require its' use. It is a convenient place to store the stone but I will concede that it is not necessary to use a stone when baking on a sheet or pan. I do use a steam pan, one of heavy gauge stainless steel. It is a half pan (hotel pan) but only about 1 inch deep. It is heavy enough to create steam and I use a bulb syringe, similar to a turkey baster, to introduce the water to the pan just after I put the loaves in the oven. The steam lasts long enough to promote adequate oven spring then dissipates. Usually I open the oven at about 20 minutes to rotate the loaves and there is still steam. By 20 minutes it has done the job and is no longer necessary. This works for me in my oven. So, shall we meet just north of the old feed store and it will be baguettes at ten paces. We will tear and share with the innocent bystanders and the best loaf will win. I enjoy your input to this forum. So, bake on. Pop --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.8 --------------- From: "Alexandra Spurgeon" Subject: Subject: bread quotes Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 13:09:02 -0600 In Carol Field "The Italian Baker" there are a few pages with quotes about bread. --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.9 --------------- From: Frances Segerson Subject: Re: Swedish limpa recipe Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:48:19 -0800 (PST) Hi - It was Vort Limpa that got me interested in bread making, as I couldn't have it often enough! Here's a bread machine recipe I had on my computer 1 1/4 C water 2 T margarine, cut in small pieces 1 1/4 t salt 2 T sugar 2 T molasses 1 1/4 C rye flour 1/2 t fennel seed, crushed 1/2 t cumin seed, crushed (scant) grated rind of one orange 2 C bread machine flour 3 T powdered milk 1/2 C raisins 2 t bread machine yeast Add all ingredients to baking pan in order given. Set bread machine on raisin bread, powdered milk setting, or on basic setting. Makes 1.5lb loaf. I usually use caraway rather than cumin seeds, and don't crush them. Frances Segerson --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.10 --------------- From: FREDERICKA COHEN Subject: national award Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 09:41:08 -0800 (PST) Maggie Glezer"s "A Blessing of Bread" is a finalist in the "Bread,Other Baking and Sweets Category" of the International Association of Culinary Professionals' annual competition. The 2005 winners will be announced at the annual meeting in Dallas, April 13 - 16. Thought you all would like to know. Fredericka --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v105.n014.11 --------------- From: Mike Avery Subject: Please help - Nutrigrain Mill Manual Needed Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 15:00:02 -0700 Hi, A while back I bought a NutriMill. Now I can't find the manual. If you have one you could send me, copy and send me a copy of, or email me a scanned copy of, please get in touch. I'm willing to pay copy fees and postage, but I'd rather only pay one person, so please drop me an email first to make sure another kind soul hasn't already helped me out. Thanks, Mike PS - An apology to those of you who are in several of the electronic baking forums I frequent for sending you several copies of this. Mike --------------- END bread-bakers.v105.n014 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2005 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved