Swedish Rye and Wholegrain Seed Bread

This Swedish rye and wholegrain seed bread is the epitome of healthy bread. Rye and seeds are only the beginning of the long list of ingredients thrown in to make this dark, dense seed bread.

Swedes love a rye bread, especially for special occasions. I made this for my son’s graduation recently, and then again for Midsommar last week. It tastes amazing topped with egg or gravad lax (gravlax) which is dry-cured salmon usually flavoured with dill.

This Swedish rye and wholegrain seed bread comes from a Swedish recipe. I have changed nothing at all (other than to convert ingredients into grams/cups). The list of ingredients is long, but if you can get hold of everything, it is worthwhile. There’s everything from walnuts to raisins, along with various different kinds of wholegrain and seeds.

Some of the ingredients are very Swedish, like filmjölk, which is a fermented, yoghurt like substance often eaten with cereal at breakfast. I’ve made the recipe with both filmjölk and a mixture of Greek yoghurt and milk, and saw no difference at all. 

The recipe itself is very uncomplicated. There’s no rising and no yeast; you just stir everything together in one bowl and bake. Simple as that. What’s great about the recipe is that it is very accommodating to change: you have license to swap things around, omitting the things you don’t like and using ingredients you have. 

If you like this bread recipe, why not check out my wholegrain cinnamon spelt loaf or my other bread machine recipes.

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Swedish Rye and Wholegrain Seed Bread

Ingredients

• 125ml (½ cup) Greek yoghurt (see note 1)
• 100ml (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) milk
• 50ml (3 tbs + 1 tsp) bread or dark syrup (see note 2)
• 30g (¼ cup) graham flour
• 30g (¼ cup) cracked rye
• 30g (¼ cup) oats
• 75g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) rye flour
• 60g (½ cup) wholegrain spelt flour (see note 3)
• 30g (¼ cup) bread flour
• 25g (2½ tbsp) linseeds (see note 4)
• 25g (2½ tbsp) sunflower seeds kernels (see note 4)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon bread spice (see note 5)
• 25g (3½ tbsp) chopped walnuts (see note 6)
• 25g (2½ tbsp) raisins

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 200℃ (400℉). Line a regular loaf pan with baking paper.
• Mix the Greek yoghurt, milk and syrup together in a large bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the wet and stir until combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin and smooth over with a knife to roughly flatten the top. Sprinkle some seeds over the top.
• Bake in the oven for around 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for a while, then turn out onto a rack. Enjoy!

Notes

 

1. If you have access to filmjölk, use 225ml (1 cup) and do not add any milk or Greek yoghurt.
2. In Sweden we have a special "bread syrup". If this is not available, use any dark syrup (such as molasses or treacle) would work well. 
3. You can substitute regular wholegrain flour for wholegrain spelt.
4. You can use any seeds you like - pumpkin and poppy seeds also work well.
5. Bread spice is a special blend of spices to add to bread. If this is not available where you are, just add ¼ teaspoon ground caraway seeds (or omit completely).
6. Walnuts are great in this recipe, but you can omit them, or use any other kind of nut.

 

DISCLAIMER:

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made the recipe with imperial measurements.

In addition, many ingredients are different in Europe compared to North America (and the rest of the world). I do all I can to offer possible alternatives and to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone. However, results cannot always be guaranteed if you have not used the same ingredients, measurements or methods as me.

Lastly, I do everything I can to ensure that my recipes (and instructions) are accurate and easy to follow. However, I am human, and don't always get it right. If you notice anything strange, a mistake, or even a typo, please let me know in the comments.