Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (2024)

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Easy to make, slightly sweet, soft and perfect for your morning toast – this Icelandic brown bread is amazing. You need to try it!

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (1)

So, anyone out there ever had Icelandic brown bread? Yeah….didn’t think so.

This maybe isn’t a recipe that the masses are clamouring for. But you know what? They should be. It’s a fantastic, easy to make, brown bread that is a bit sweet, super soft, and just perfect for your morning toast.

So why Icelandic brown bread? Well, because I’m part Icelandic and so I had it fairly often growing up. My grandma’s family is from Iceland, although I’ll be honest, I haven’t really had a ton of Icelandic food. There were the few things that we would have at my Grandma’s house whenever we were visiting, but that’s about it. And occasionally my dad would bring home some dried fish and he and I would happily inhale it (being the only two in the house that actually liked it! As a side note, I haven’t had that in years – I wonder where I can find it?).

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (2)

I have a couple of Icelandic recipes from my Grandma, although I haven’t yet attempted to make my favourite of all, a cake that she made every Christmas. It’s so good though, andI might need to try making it this year, just so that I can share it with you!

The one I make on a regular basis is this one – Icelandic brown bread. This recipe was from my great Aunt, and was originally meant to be made in a bread machine. But I never did really care for the strange square shaped loaves that you get out of a bread machine and so I haven’t used one in years. If you prefer to use one though, this recipe works well on the whole grain setting – it will make one large, 2 pound loaf.

I like it as two smaller 8×4 inch loaves, made in bread pans. Either way, it’s the perfect bread for toast. We love it toasted for breakfast with peanut butter or jam.

Even if you haven’t grown up with Icelandic brown bread – you will love it. It’s fantastic!

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (3)

Yield: 2 - 8x4 inch loaves

Icelandic Brown Bread

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (4)

Easy to make, slightly sweet, soft and perfect for your morning toast - this Icelandic brown bread is amazing. You need to try it!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time1 hour

Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cup (315mL) warm water
  • 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (105g) brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/4 cup (90g) molasses
  • 2 teaspoons (12g) salt
  • 2 cups (10oz, 280g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups (12.5oz, 350g) whole wheat flour (plus up to 1/2 cup (2.5oz, 70g) extra, if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon (11g) instant yeast

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or dough whisk, combine the water, butter, sugar, brown sugar and molasses.
  2. Add the salt, all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups (350g) whole wheat flour and the yeast.
  3. Mix with the dough hook until everything is combined.
  4. After mixing for a minute or so, the dough should come together and clear the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  5. If it is too wet and sticky to clear the bottom of the bowl, sprinkle in a little more whole wheat flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough clears the bottom of the bowl. It should be soft and slightly tacky to the touch, but not overly sticky.
  6. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes (12-14 by hand) until it is smooth and elastic.
  7. Remove the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  8. Allow it to rise until almost doubled, about 2 hours.
  9. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface.
  10. Divide it into two pieces and shape each into a loaf by pressing it into a thick rectangle and then roll it up from the long edge, pressing the seam as you do so.
  11. Place each loaf seam side down into an oiled 8x4 inch bread pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
  12. Allow the loaves to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they have almost doubled.
  13. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  14. Bake the loaves for 50-60 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
  15. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

32

Serving Size:

2 slices

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 68Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 146mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.

Icelandic Brown Bread Recipe - from Bake.Eat.Repeat. (2024)

FAQs

Why is the bread in Iceland so good? ›

Though that may sound simple, it's the temperature, depth, and time that the bread spends cooking in the hot-springs sand that imparts its cakey sweetness. Steam hisses around Lake Laugarvatn.

What is the famous bread in Iceland? ›

Icelandic Rye Bread (Rú*gbrauð)

Where in Iceland do they bake bread in the ground? ›

In Iceland, a Century-Old Bread-Making Tradition Uses Its Most Famous Natural Resource—Hot Springs. In the small lakeside town of Laugavautn, one writer discovers the allure of 'thunder bread'—and the community of bakers keeping it alive.

What is the number one food in Iceland? ›

This boom in fisheries led to fish becoming a staple of the Icelandic diet. Today, you'll see a mix of both preserved and fresh foods in Icelandic homes. Horse meat is no longer banned and salted meat is rare. Fish remains the main food source in Iceland.

What is the most eaten food in Iceland? ›

Two mainstays of Icelandic food are lamb and cod. In spring and summer there is so much sunlight that the grass grows quickly and there are a zillion lambs eating it. So one basic dish is a lamb soup or kjötsúpa.

What do Icelandic people eat for breakfast? ›

The main components of a typical Icelandic breakfast include eggs, bacon, sausages, and skyr. Skyr is a traditional Icelandic yogurt that is high in protein and low in fat. It is often served with brown sugar, berries, or cream. Another popular dish is oatmeal or hafragrautur, which is made with rolled oats and milk.

What are 3 popular food in Iceland? ›

TOP 10 foods to try in Iceland
  • Why Food Tasting Will Be the Best Part of Your Iceland Trip.
  • Skyr - The Icelandic Yogurt.
  • Slow Roasted Lamb.
  • Hákarl - Fermented Shark.
  • Icelandic Lamb Soup - Kjötsúpa.
  • Icelandic Fish.
  • Icelandic Hot Dog.
  • Rú*gbrauð - Dark Rye Bread from a Hot Spring.

What is the national breakfast of Iceland? ›

Iceland. A typical Icelandic breakfast in 1900 included oatmeal porridge, skyr, black pudding, rye bread, and coffee. In modern times, oatmeal porridge and orange juice are popular but the most common breakfast is a simple combination of bread and coffee.

How much does a loaf of bread cost in Iceland? ›

The shopping cost in Iceland varies between markets. However, the average prices for some everyday items include – $3.30 for a loaf of bread, $1.38 for one liter of milk, $5.28 for a dozen eggs, $13.2 for a kilo of local cheese, $2.76 for a kilo of apples, and $11.3 for a pack of cigarettes.

Where did Zac Efron bake bread in Iceland? ›

Actor Zac Efron journeys around the world with wellness expert Darin Olien in a travel show that explores healthy, sustainable ways to live. They visit Laugarvatn Fontana, a small geothermal spa in Iceland, and experience bread baking like they did before electricity.

Does Iceland have a dessert? ›

Icelandic people are known for having unique and distinctive local cuisines and dishes, such as fermented shark and puffin, but they also have a number of famous desserts. Undoubtedly the most famous Icelandic dessert product is Skyr which can be found in supermarkets worldwide and is most likened to a yoghurt.

Why is Icelandic food so good? ›

Like in most of Scandinavia, the cuisine is entirely inspired by the ingredients Icelanders have around them, from the free-roaming sheep to the cod, herring, and Arctic char that splash around the cold waters. Beyond its freshness, Iceland's food is pure—with less of a focus on GMOs and artificial ingredients.

What is the hardest bread to make in the world? ›

Little did I know that baguettes are considered the most difficult bread to bake, and “the art of artisan breads.” For the first six months, I baked three baguettes every day, generally wondering why anyone would go to all of the trouble.

What is butter in Iceland? ›

Icelandic Creamery Butter is made from fresh cream, which is produced from the milk of Icelandic cows fed on grass. Rich in flavour, its smooth texture makes it easier to spread. The use of growth hormones and steroids in raising cattle is completely banned in Iceland.

What kind of bread do they eat in Iceland? ›

The first and foremost of Icelandic loaves of bread is rú*gbrauð, or sweet, dark rye bread. Nowadays, there are several ways to make rú*gbrauð, but it was traditionally baked in a pot or steamed.

Which country has the most delicious bread? ›

Well, Roti Canai of Malaysia tops the Taste Atlas list of the world's best breads. Roti Canai is a famous flatbread originally found in Malaysia. It is a pan-fried bread. The bread from Malaysia has secured 4.9 stars.

Which country makes the best bread in the world? ›

Iceland. Iceland is considered one of the countries with the best bread in the world, much of which can be attributed to the unique methods it employs for its bread-making. The Icelandic rye bread is high in sugar and is baked underground using bubbling lava sand as the heat source.

Why is rye bread so popular in Iceland? ›

The reason for its popularity is because rye grains were cheap and readily available, and it was made using sourdough which was the only raising agent available. Before it was trendy, sourdough was the traditional method of fermentation and was used to make the next loaf.

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