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My Great Aunt Edna was a small woman. I remember that she made me feel tall and I wasn’t. She always wore these just awful black orthopedic shoes with two inch heels. I remember her house had those old fashioned rag rugs and flowers. I never knew her when she was “young” for me Aunt Edna was always an old lady with a gentle smile and a small voice. Yet you listened if she talked. She commanded a kind of quiet respect. She was delicate and had the bearing of a lady. She was one of my favorite old people and occasionally I miss her still though she’s been gone many years.

One of the many things that she left our family were her recipes. This one has been paired down a bit as we modern day women don’t usually bake 5 to 7 loaves at once. I prefer this as a breakfast bread toasted with my homemade red currant jelly. It is slightly sweet and does not have an overpowering rye flavor.  Enjoy it!

Swedish Rye Bread

1 package Dry Yeast
¼ cups Warm Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 cups Hot Water
? cups Butter (or Shortening Of Choice)
¾ cups Molasses
½ cups Brown Sugar
2 cups Rye Flour
4 cups Flour (all-purpose Or Whole Wheat Pastry)

**Note that this bread rises twice prep time is about 25 minutes but rise time is 2 to 3 hours**

Dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until yeast is activated (foamy). In a separate bowl add the 2 cups of hot water, butter, molasses and brown sugar. Allow the butter to soften (melt) then mix well. Add the yeast mixture. Then mix in the flours (rye and all-purpose). If using a stand mixer knead until a somewhat stiff dough is formed. If kneading by hand mix in the bowl until unable then turn out onto floured board. Add additional flour as needed when kneading. Place in a greased bowl allow to rise until double. Punch down, knead and all to rise again. After 2nd rise form into loaves and put in greased pans.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes makes 2 good sized loaves.