Nötbröd med fikon (bread with nuts and figs)

Just as some supermarkets in Holland, the local ones in Sweden too have leaflets with all kind of recipes for their customers. I'd promised myself to bake some bread during our stay in Sweden and this recipe of the supermarket ICA was very welcome.

Kneading by hand, instead of the Kitchenaid, was a bit messy because of the wet and sticky dough but on the other hand very suitable to an old stuga. Forming the dough into a tight ball was a bit tricky and I expected it to morf into a flat pancake. Well, that didn't happen and slashing wasn't neccessary because the bread did it himself (or is it herself?).


The result; a dense and not too sweet bread with a nice crumb. Next time I'll use walnuts instead of almonds because they have more taste.

Nötbröd med fikon (bread with nuts and figs)

15 dried but soft figs, small pieces
1 cup almonds (I used 0.5 cup)
25 gr. fresh yeast
600 ml. cold water
1 teaspoon salt
900 gr. bread flour
1 eggyolk
1 tbsp. milk

The best way to divide the figs in small pieces is by scissors. Chop the almonds (or other nuts) in small pieces.

Crumb the yeast above the flour in very small crumbs between your fingertips. Add the cold water and knead it rapidly till all the flour and water are mixed. Add the figs, nuts and salt and knead the dough 5 minutes. Leave the dough in an oiled container till doubled in size.

Give it a businessletterturn and let is proof again till almost doubled in size. Form the dough into a tight ball and leave it covered till almost doubled in size. Glaze the bread with a mixture of the eggyolk and the milk. Slash it as you wish or dare.
Bake the bread in the oven (200 dgr. C.) for 20 minutes and lower the temperature till 200 dgr. C. and bake it another 15 minutes.


This bread serves very nice with cheese.