When I was growing up, nothing started our family’s holiday season like my mom making bread. It’s not just regular bread, but a family recipe stemming from my Dad’s side of the family called Swedish Brown Bread. This dense and savory, slightly sweet, fragrant bread is made with a little molasses and a lot of love. It is MOST delicious when eaten right out of the oven and slathered in butter.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c milk
½ c water
1t salt
½ c sugar
¾ c molasses
1 heaping T shortening
Yeast
Mix ingredients and bring to a boil. Let cool until lukewarm. Pour into a large mixing bowl and add 1 package of yeast (dissolved in ¼ c lukewarm water) and enough flour to knead (roughly 5-6 cups). Allow to rise twice its size, knead again, then divide (into bread pans) and allow it to rise again. Bake in greased pans at 350° F for 30-40 mins. Remove from pans. While bread is warm brush on a mixture of milk and sugar.
I can tell you this bread is temperamental and likes to have some TLC when making. For example, try to mix the dough in a warm kitchen, the yeast performs much better. Do NOT misread the recipe and think that it is supposed to rise twice before dividing (yes, I did this) but, if you do, it may still come out edible, though I won’t make any promises!
Here’s a post from 10 years ago when I was trying to “rush” the recipe…
It may not sound like much or very appetizing, but my family loves it! I’ve recently taken over baking for my dad during the holidays as my parents divorced 20+years ago, but my mom has made it every year since before I can remember. I also remember the first year she got it exactly right! She also tells us when she’s planning to bake it now because we all (my brother and I) go camp in her kitchen until it’s done and vie for the first slice. I plan to carry on this tradition with my son and this year will be his first to have it! What kind of traditional food is important to you? I’d have to say this bread is more important than the Turkey for me!
By the way, this is the kind of graffiti that happens in my kitchen thanks to my emotionally stunted husband!
Ha! That bottle of molasses!!! Never seen that before! Is it traditional molasses or spicy?
So proud of you for carrying on the tradition.