Swedish Limpa Bread

This homemade Swedish rye bread is easy to make if you follow the step-by-step directions. It is a traditional bread of Sweden - laced with brown sugar, molasses, caraway seeds, and orange peel. Try it toasted with lots of sweet butter or sprinkle it with grated Cheddar cheese and broil until cheese is melted and browned. It's also good for a simple ham and cheese sandwich!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 35 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup light molasses or 1⁄4 cup dark molasses
• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 1  teaspoon anise seed or 1  teaspoon caraway seed
• 2  tablespoons  grated  orange peel
• 1  cup boiling water
• 1  cup cold water
• 1⁄2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 2 (1/4ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 4 1⁄2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 4  cups  unsifted  rye flour
•  cornmeal
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons margarine, melted

Directions

1. in a large bowl, combine sugar, molasses, 1/4 cup butter, the salt, anise and orange peel. Add 1 cup boiling water; stir until sugar dissolves and butter melted. Add 1 cup cold water. Cool to lukewarm. Check temperature of warm water with thermometer.
2. Sprinkle yeast over water in measuring cup; stir until dissolved. Add to molasses mixture; mix well. Gradually add 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup rye flour; beat vigorously until smooth and dough leaves sides of bowl. Gradually add 3 cups rye flour.
3. Mix in last of flour with hand until dough leaves side of bowl. (Dough will be stiff.) Turn out onto lightly floured pastry cloth or board. Knead until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. Place in lightly greased large bowl; turn dough to bring up the greased side.
4. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, until double in bulk - about 1-1/2 hours. Grease a large cookie sheet, and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Punch down dough and turn out onto lightly floured pastry cloth or board. Cut in half.
5. Shape each half into an oval. With palms of hands, on lightly floured surface, roll each half into a loaf, 12 inches long, tapering ends. Place on prepared cookie sheet, 5 inches apart.
6. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place, free from drafts, until double in bulk - 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With sharp knife, make four diagonal slashes on top of loaf, 1/4-inch deep. Bake on middle shelf 35 minutes; cover with foil last 10 minutes, if necessary. Brush with butter. Serve warm, or cool on rack.