Swedish Peasant Bread
Adapted from Bo Friberg
Makes 2 loaves

For scalding mixture:
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
3 ounces whole wheat flour
3 ounces rye flour

For dough:
3/4 cup warm water (105º to 115º F)
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/3 cup (4 ounces) light corn syrup
4 1/4 teaspoons active-dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground fennel
4 ounces whole wheat flour (about 1 cup), plus extra for dusting loaves
1 pound unbleached bread flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 egg, lightly beaten for an egg wash

1. To make the scalding mixture, whisk together the salt and the two flours in a heat-safe bowl. Pour the boiling water over and mix until smooth. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.

2. To make the dough, combine the warm water, vinegar, and corn syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer, until the corn syrup has dissolved. Add the yeast, stir to combine, and let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scalding mixture, honey, butter, cumin, and fennel.

3. Reserving a few ounces of the bread flour, add the remainder and the whole wheat flour, and mix with the dough hook for about 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping the bowl if necessary. Adjust the consistency with the reserved bread flour as needed; the dough should be just barely sticky, but should clear the sides of the bowl. Knead until smooth, about 2 to 4 minutes more. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

4. Divide the dough in half. Gently knead and roll each half into a round ball. Using the side of your hand (like a karate chop), press down into the center of one ball. With a sawing back-and-forth motion, roll the loaf under your hand until you have almost divided the two halves. You should end up with two smaller rounds, connected with a little strand of dough. Repeat with the other round.

5. Brush the loaves with egg wash and dust liberally with whole wheat flour. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a sharp serrated knife, decoratively slash each loaf. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

6. Bake at 375º F for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a rack and let cool.



Notes:
1. I can’t vouch for it, but I imagine the scalding mixture (after it’s cooled to room temperature) could be left to sit overnight, refrigerated. All that could happen is the flavors become more complex, right? Maybe?

2. If possible, grind your own fennel and cumin seeds, rather than using the pre-ground stuff. The oils and flavor compounds are much fresher that way; I find pre-ground spices a bit dull and flat. (Whole seeds are usually cheaper, too, if you can buy them in bulk. Whole Foods, anyone?)

3. When shaping the loaves in step 4, don’t be afraid to really almost divide the dough in half. The strand of dough connecting the two round halves can be as thick as just a couple of fingers; remember, it will puff up as it rises.

4. I’m not joking. This bread is really, really good. And at this point, I think I know from good bread. It’s just delicious.