Swedish Flatbread Made in a Traditional wood oven

Sue Maree P -

This month I spent a morning baking Swedish flatbread in the “baking house” or Bagarstuga in Tjörn, Sweden. In my friends basement he has a traditional wood fired oven that we used for baking both flatbread and crisp-bread known as knäckebröd. The oven was built many years ago by his grandfather. It tastes so delicious.

The Wood Oven

The night before baking the oven was gently heated up to kick start it before the day of baking tomorrow.

Baking Day

A few hours before the baking started, the oven was was lit to warm it up before the baking started. I asked if there was a desired temperature bit it was all by sight and experience. Olle did mention that Monika's father and grandfather (who house it was) use to have the oven at a much higher temperature. All the timber is on the left side of the oven and the centre area is left free for baking the bread. Once the baking has started the fire is fed by adding more logs.

Tools Used (I should have taken separate photos of each tool)

Most of the tools had special Swedish names and were all hand made.

  • Extra flour
  • Rolling pins
  • Spiked rolling pin for the crispbread
  • Spiked tool for making the holes
  • Large timber board for rolling the dough
  • Proving rack
  • Brush to remove excess flour from the baked bread
  • A large flat area with a cloth of sheets to cvoer and cool the bread down
  • Extra timber to feed the oven
  • Thin metal peels to lift the rolled dough onto the proving rack
  • Timber peel with a long handle to place the bread into the oven

Rolling the Dough

The dough is super sticky and very frustrating to roll. My first attempts had to be re-rolled as they got stuck to the board. You will need lots of extra flour on hand to continually flour the bench.

All the dough prep. and dividing was done before I arrived. All dough was prepare the night before.

At the end of the baking day Monika made pizzas in the oven and we enjoyed eating them together.