Christmas Eve Smorgasbord Limpa Bread

Christmas is the only day I don’t feel guilty taking a 5-hour nap after playing charades in my pajamas until noon. What a lovely holiday. Great to see our West Coast family, so many highlights, and thrilled to have a vacation for a few days.

Charades by the tree–my brother trying to get us to guess “bowflex” —Image  Izzy sleeping through all kinds of provocation, especially by two-year-old nephews. Image

Dice games after dinner with a precocious schnauzer heading up the table.  (Very small, this shot something like a Where’s Waldo?)Image  Bacon-topped maple bars courtesy of my father-in-law. Image

This year at KP’s family’s Swedish smorgasbord, I was charged with the responsibility to bake up the traditional limpa bread, a dark rye.

Christmas Eve Smorgasbord Limpa Bread

recipe by Lynn Binsacca (I think?!)

1 ½ cup sourdough starter

1 cup milk (scalded, or at least warm warm)

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

2 tablespoons orange peel

2 tsp anise

2 eggs

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 ½ cups rye flour

2 ½ to 3 cups all purpose flour

Mix all ingredients, knead, and let rise in an oiled bowl for 2 to 3 hours in a warm place. For proofing, set dough to rise on a baking sheet or peel and parchment. Preheat oven to 375. Slash. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve at a smorgasbord.

Image

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

3 thoughts on “Christmas Eve Smorgasbord Limpa Bread

  1. What a beautiful family, home, and bread! Is that the house you grew up in? Also, it’s quite an honor to be asked to make a traditional family recipe, my dear! 🙂

    1. Yes, it’s my parents house in Portland, Oregon. A foreshadowing of heaven, temperatures never dropping too far below forty. We leave today, too bad!

      Sent from my iPhone

      >

      1. Stunning! Your family is now cooler than ever in my mind 🙂 Aaaahhh, enjoy those balmy temps while you can! You’ve probably heard what you’re coming back to 🙁

Comments are closed.