Camping Bread / Twist Bread

Camping Bread / Twist Bread
Pinnbröd (Sweden)

For many Swedes, memories of wet, autumnal preschool outings, berry picking and eating in the woods growing up are all about the pinnbröd. The original is simply wheat flour, water and salt but I strongly suggest you add the baking powder indicated in the recipe below. It is the difference between bread enjoyed by kids and avoided by everyone over the age of six and bread that’s enjoyable for everyone. Another option, if you do not want to add butter and jam to the bread, is to stick a grilled sausage in that same hole instead.

[Ed. Note: Magnus Nilsson talks about documenting Nordic baking traditions for The Nordic Baking Book in this interview with Shauna Sever.]

The Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilsson

Ingredients

• 3 g / 0.10 oz (1/2 teaspoon) salt

• 240 g / 8 1/2 oz (2 cups) weak (soft) wheat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)

• butter and jam, to serve

Directions

Mix the salt, flour and baking powder, if using, together in a bowl. Add 100 ml / 3 1/2 fl oz (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) water, little by little, until it is a quite firm dough.

To cook the stick breads outdoors, you will need to put the dough into a small plastic bag to transport it easily. Find 5 sticks that are long enough to hold over a fire. Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and shape into thin logs 20-cm/8-inches long and 1-cm / 1/2-inch in diameter, then wrap the dough around them.

Cook the breads over the fire for about 10 minutes, or until they get some colour. Remove from the fire and when they have cooled down a bit, remove from the stick and put butter and jam in the holes.