Icelandic Thunderbread

This dense, mildly sweet, hearty rye bread is traditionally prepared over the course of 12 or more hours by placing the dough into covered pots and sinking these into geothermal springs. It’s sliced thin and served with smoked, cured, or pickled foods. I simply enjoy it with a little salted butter. Since it’s leavened with baking powder and baking soda (not yeast), there is no kneading, no rising, just mix in a bowl, bake slowly, and enjoy. My kind of bread!
Below are two recipes: one for the oven, one for a slow cooker.

Photographing the traditional ‘baking’ for our Bread Project

Homemade Icelandic Thunderbread

OVEN RECIPE

WHAT YOU NEED

• 3 cups/ 310 grams rye flour

• 1.5 cups/ 180 grams whole wheat flour

• 2¼ tsp baking soda

• ¾ cup/250 grams molasses

• 3 cups / 750 ml buttermilk (or plant based milk)

• 1 tbs honey

WHAT YOU DO

• Preheat the oven to 210°F/100°C.

• Use butter or oil to lightly grease a standard loaf pan (9x5" or 23x13 cm)

• In a large bowl stir together the dry ingredients..

• Now stir in the molasses, buttermilk, and honey. Mix until everything is just combined.

• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth it down to make sure the pan is evenly filled.

• Bake in the oven for 6,5 hours.

• Remove from the oven, let cool and remove it from the pan. Serve warm or cool and store in the fridge (or freeze if you make more).

RECIPE FOR SLOW COOKER

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 1/2 cup rye flour

• 3/4 whole wheat  flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp molasses

• 1/4 cup brown sugar 

• 3/4 cup warmed buttermilk (or plant based milk)

WHAT YOU DO

• Makes 1 small round loaf, about 8 slices  Butter the inside of a ceramic bowl that has 3 cup (750 ml) capacity. 

• In a medium-sized bowl, mix dry ingredients.  

• In a another bowl, combine the lukewarm milk and molasses. 

• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine into a thick dough.  Knead the mixture for a few minutes, until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not sticky.  Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the buttered bowl.

• Cover the bowl with sheet of foil, and secure it tightly with a rubber band.  Place the bowl into the slow cooker, and add hot water to the slow cooker till about halfway up the outside of the bowl.  Put the cover on the slow cooker and set the temperature to ‘high’ or ‘4 hours’, depending on your slow cooker. Steam the bread in the slow cooker for about 2.5 hour.

• When the bread is done, turn off and unplug your cooker.  Remove the lid and let cool for a few minutes. Remove the foil – be careful not to burn yourself! - , and take the bread out of the bowl when still warm. 

• Eat warm or cold and store in the fridge (or freeze if you make more).