January 2013
When I think of Sweden, I think of minimal design, foggy colors, folk patterns, bold reds, bungalows, strong, dark coffee and dense, grainy bread. One day, I hope to experience all of my associations first hand, but for the time being, I merely channeled some of those elements for a Bess Inspired Brunch.
This bread may very well become a staple. It’s so simple and quick to make, and though dense, this nutty flavored bread is far from the feeling of cutting into a brick. It works really well as a tartine. Here are a few suggested combinations:
Bread + Neufchatel + Fresh Dill + Capers + Salmon
Bread + Neufchatel + Avocado + Salmon
Bread + Neufchatel + Roasted Beet + Fresh Dill
With a little bow, this bread could easily become a gift for a dinner party host, and with this flavor packed butter, a slice of this bread could really change your breakfast routine. I hope this becomes one of your staples!
Simple Spelt & Flax Bread
Ingredients
4 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup golden roasted flax seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
*2 cups and 2 tablespoons milk (I used 1 ½ cups half & half + whole milk due to what was in my refrigerator)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the spelt flour, flax seeds, salt, molasses, baking soda and milk until well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden.
Placing a tin of the same size or a lid over the top of the loaf while baking gives it a lovely crust.
