Swedish Flatbread (Mjükbrod)

For the sponge starter, dissolve yeast in warm milk, then add the flour. Mix well, making sure there are no dry bits of flour. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour in a warm, draft-free place.

When the sponge starter is ready, for the main dough, combine the milk and butter, and heat to about 95°C. Add the golden syrup and spices to the milk and combine with the sponge starter.

Then add flour, baking powder, and salt. Knead by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.

Cover and let rise for 45 minutes or until double in size.

After the dough has risen, tip it onto your floured work surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and cover with a dish towel for 25 minutes.

Flour your work surface and roll each ball out into a round flatbread. If you have a naggkavel or a knobbed rolling pin, use it to roll out the flatbread at this stage to prevent too much bubbling once it is put in the Cru oven. A meat tenderizer is a good substitute if you don’t have a naggkavel.

Before baking the breads in the Cru, make sure you brush off the excess flour from the top of the bread.

To cook in the Cru oven,