Last week we were given a box of Brödmix Flerkorn (Swedish for multi-grain bread mix) by some Danish friends. The bread mix is sold in Ikea and makes a type of rye bread popular in Scandinavia, and in Denmark would be called rugbrød, which is the basis of Smørrebrød (Danish open sandwiches). The is quite a following on the Internet for Ikea’s Brödmix Flerkorn as ex-pat Scandinavians clamber to get their fix of the tasty rye bread to remind them of home. There is even a Facebook fan-page for it. It was originally available in the Finax’s, the manufacturer, own packaging, but now it comes in Ikea’s own labelling.
The bread mix is the height of convenience, as all you do to make it, is open the milk style carton, pour in a quantity of water, give it a good shake, rest, pour into a bread tin, rest and then cook. No kneading. The only slightly off putting thing is powering the mixture from the carton isn’t the most appetising sight, but the bread it wonderfully rustic, chewy and a little tang from the sourdough like flavour.
Unlike wheat breads there is very little gluten in rye, so therefore the bread doesn’t rise much, which means the bread is quite dense and a little heavy. You don’t need a lot to make you feel full. It is great just on its own with butter, or cheese, meats, etc. It is even great with Marmite, though that might get you into trouble with the Danish Food and Veterinary Administration 🙂
1 comments
Simply the best in my 7 decades of bread appreciation. None of the many “full grain” imports found in Manhattan can compare any longer, neither can the breads experienced in The Old Country/Northern Europe and frequently smuggled through customs. I have been baking Finax/Ikea’s for a number of years now, at least one per week, sliced thin, toasted — heaven. The transitional from Finax to Ikea branding saw me suicidal.