📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of the Swedish Julbord (Christmas buffet), Vörtbröd is a deeply aromatic, dark rye bread enriched with porter, molasses, and a fragrant blend of winter spices. Its unique character comes from the 'vört' (malt wort), which provides a complex sweetness that perfectly balances the tartness of raisins. Toasted and slathered with salted butter and a slice of Christmas ham, this bread is the quintessential taste of a Scandinavian winter.
🥗 Ingredients
The Liquid Base
- 330 ml Porter or Stout beer (one bottle, room temperature)
- 1/2 cup Dark Molasses or Swedish 'Mörk Sirap' (provides the characteristic dark color)
- 75 grams Unsalted Butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 50 grams Fresh Yeast (or 14g dry active yeast)
Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom (freshly ground is best)
- 2 teaspoons Bitter Orange Peel (Pomerans) (dried and ground)
- 1 tablespoon Salt (fine sea salt)
Flour and Fruit
- 300 grams Rye Flour (fine rye flour)
- 500-600 grams Bread Flour (high protein wheat flour)
- 1 cup Raisins (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drained)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
In a small saucepan, gently warm the porter and molasses until it reaches finger-warm temperature (about 37°C/98°F). If using dry yeast, whisk it into this liquid and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
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2
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, crumble the fresh yeast (if using) and pour over the warm porter mixture. Stir until the yeast is completely dissolved.
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3
Stir in the melted butter, ground ginger, cloves, cardamom, ground bitter orange peel, and salt. The aroma will immediately evoke a Swedish Christmas market.
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4
Add the rye flour and about half of the bread flour. Start mixing on low speed with a dough hook or a sturdy wooden spoon.
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5
Gradually add the remaining bread flour. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes by machine or 15 minutes by hand until it is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticking to your fingers.
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6
Add the drained raisins during the last 2 minutes of kneading, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
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7
Cover the bowl with a clean damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
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8
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into two equal portions and shape them into smooth, oval loaves.
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9
Place the loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover again and let rise for another 45-60 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) during this time.
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10
Just before baking, prick the tops of the loaves with a fork or score them lightly with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape.
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11
Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes. The loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, or reach an internal temperature of 96°C (205°F).
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12
For a soft, shiny crust, brush the hot loaves with a mixture of equal parts molasses and water immediately after taking them out of the oven.
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13
Transfer to a wire rack and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. This is crucial for rye breads to set their structure.
💡 Chef's Tips
Soak your raisins in warm water or even a bit of rum before adding them to prevent them from drawing moisture out of the dough. If you cannot find 'Pomerans' (bitter orange), use the finely grated zest of two regular oranges mixed with a pinch of extra cloves. Don't over-flour the dough; rye flour is naturally sticky, and adding too much wheat flour will result in a dry, heavy loaf. Brush the crust with melted butter or a molasses-water glaze while still hot to achieve that iconic Swedish professional bakery finish. This bread tastes even better the second day as the spices have more time to develop their full profile.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve thick slices with high-quality salted Swedish butter and a sharp aged cheese like Västerbottensost. Top with a slice of cold Christmas ham (Julskinka) and a dollop of sweet-spicy Swedish mustard. Pair with a glass of chilled Julmust (Swedish Christmas soda) or a warm mug of Glögg (mulled wine). Use leftovers for 'Dopp i grytan' (dipping in the pot), a traditional Swedish way to eat bread soaked in flavorful ham broth. It makes incredible toast the next morning, topped with orange marmalade.