Swedish Orange Bread

Swedish Orange Bread

1/4 cup warm water (105-degrees for dry yeast)

1 package active dry yeast

2 cups scalded milk 

2 tablespoons melted butter

4 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups of oatmeal flour

4 cups whole wheat flour

Pour 1/4 cup water into a bowl; add yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir the butter and orange juice into the hot milk. It will help cool it. Add the salt and stir well. Stir in the 2 cups of oat flour. Add to the yeast mixture. Add the remaining flour and knead well. Use the rise and knead method: let the dough rise for 15 minutes and then knead. Do this five times. In between kneadings, place the dough in a bowl, cover and keep in a warm place. Let the dough raise a final time until doubled. Punch dough down; squeeze out air with your hands; shape into a smooth ball and squeeze dough to divide into equal portions for two loaves. Form into two loaves. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled. Put in a 375 degree oven and bake until nicely browned and just starting to pull away from pan sides, about 45 minutes. Remove from over and turn loaves out of pans to cool before slicing or wrapping.

To make into Swedish Traditional Orange Rye Bread use 2 cups of rye flour in place of the oatmeal flour. Add 2 tablespoons grated orange peel and 1 tablespoon of caraway, anise or fennel seed.

The oatmeal version made great scones.