Buckwheat limpa style sourdough boule {with Orange blossom, anise seed, and malted barley syrup}

This beautiful delicate bread will be your new favorite European-inspired bread. Buckwheat gives this bread the earthiness while the orange zest elevates it and the anise gives this bread a subtle sweetness.

This bread is inspired by the Swedish transitional bread called “limpa”. It is a yeast-leavened spice loaf made with Rye flour, sweetened with brown sugar and molasses. These spices are usually anise, caraway, and fennel, with orange zest.

But this one takes a swing on the old tradition, made with buckwheat instead of rye flour and naturally leavened with sourdough, spiced with anise seed, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then elevated with orange blossom, and sweetened with marked barley syrup.

I made this bread for my Swedish friends so I do not have an inside pic😆. But trust me, it’s amazing.

What’s in it:

• 130g sourdough starter
• 1/4 cup/85g malted barley syrup (or molasses, or honey,)
• 2 cups/473g water (around 85°)
• 4 1/2 /540g Flour
• 1 cup/ 120g buckwheat flour
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• Zest from 1 orange (I used cara cara)
• 1 tablespoon anise seed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon/18g salt

How to make it:

1. In a large bowl, (not metal) measure out your sourdough starter, add water and syrup, then flours, orange blossom and zest, spices, and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until fully incorporated.
2. Place in a draft free warm area overnight (or for 8-12 hours).
3. Shape the dough in your hands, then score the top.
4. Preheat your Dutch oven* to 425 degrees. With floury hands, carefully place dough in Dutch oven (without burning your self) and score on top, place back in oven with top on. Bake for about 35 minutes then take top off and bake for another 20 mins, or until you can “knock” on the bottom of the bread. Best severed warm;). Enjoy!!