Swedish Rye Bread
by Tony van Roon

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Makes 2 Breads:

3 packages quick dry yeast
2 tablespoons softened butter
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups unbleached white flour
2½ cups fine milled rye flour
1½ cups hot water (about 80 °F)
¼ cup molasses
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated (califorina) orange rind
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon anise seed
Put the water in a bowl and add the yeast. Let rest for a minute, then stir until dissolved.

Stir in the molasses, sugar, orange rind and seeds. Add the flours and butter. Mix all ingredients together until smooth.

If the dough is sticky or too soft, add a little more flour. Knead by your own method or use a dough kneeder. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then let rise on a draft free spot for about 45 minutes. Shape the dough into two slightly flattened ovals and put on a greased baking sheet, dusted with cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise for another 30 minutes (double the rise time if you use regular rising yeast). Make four ¼" deep diagonal cuts in the top of the loaves.

Bake in preheated oven at 375 °F for about 35 minutes. The breads will shrink a little from the sides of the pan when they are done, or sound hollow when you tap on top of the bread. If you prefer a crusty top brush the top a couple of times with water in the last 10 minutes of baking. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you don't like the taste of anise, just leave it out or replace with something you like.

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