Authentic Finnish food: this archipelago bread (Saaristolaisleipä) is highly nutritious and delicious. Perfect with just butter or with cured fish or shrimp.
50mlvegetable oilneutral, like sunflower oil, for example
15grdry yeast
1tspsalt
Brushing
1tbspmaple syrup
1tbsplukewarm water
Instructions
Heat the buttermilk to 36°C (96,8°F) and pour it into a bowl.
Add the yeast into the bowl, mix, and add syrup, malt, oat bran and salt. Mix.
Add the rye flour and start working the dough, mixing with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Slowly add the wheat flour, little by little, while working the dough.
Add the vegetable oil when almost all the flour has been mixed in, and keep working the dough.
When the dough is mixed well, divide the dough into two parts.
Grease two 21x10cm (8x4 inch) bread pans and place the previously divided dough in both of them. You can gently pierce the dough with a fork.
Cover the bread pans well and let them rest for at least 60 minutes. When ready, preheat the oven at 175°C (or 350°F).
Place the pans on the lowest part of the oven and bake for an hour.
Remove pans from the oven. Mix 1 teaspoon of syrup with 1 teaspoon of lukewarm water and brush atop the loaf to add flavor and color. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).
Cover the loaves with baking paper or aluminum foil so that the top does not darken too much.
Bake for around 30 minutes more.
Once finally out of the oven, brush again with the syrup mix.
Flip the bread away from the tray to a plain surface after the bread has cooled down slightly.
Cover the loaves in plastic wrap.
Eat it whenever you want but best after two days!
Video
Notes
Dark syrup is usually used for this recipe, but you can replace it with light syrup or maple syrup. This will affect the colour of the bread, but the amount you use will be the same.
If you have fresh yeast, you can use 40 grams to replace the dry yeast (15g).
Remember that the dough must be sticky after you have worked the dough. Use flour in moderation.
You can eat archipelago bread with butter or make a delicious Swedish prawn toast.