The History of Crispbread (Knäckebröd)

- a Swedish tradition

Crispbread has been eaten in Sweden for centuries. Some say it was an important part of the Viking diet because it kept well on their ships and sustained them during their long battles.

In the 1500s, Nordic countries introduced crispbread (knäckebröd) into their diet. Large discs of crispbread were baked at harvest times and preserved over the winter by storing them in a dry place. The discs were made with a hole in the middle, hung on a pole above the fire and kept for long periods of time. Today many bakeries, including our first bakery in Sweden, still display their crispbreads this way. That’s why each of our extra large round crispbreads has a hole stamped out in the centre. We have a soft spot for tradition.

In Sweden, crispbread is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner as a light alternative type of bread. Take a look at our recipe page to get some Scandinavian ideas. Here in the UK, top restaurants also use them as a distinctly different type of bread to serve with cheese.

Although much of the crispbread production in Sweden and the UK is now industrialized, we still make ours using traditional methods, 100% natural ingredients and the slow and natural fermentation process of sourdough. This takes a lot more time and skill than using yeast or artificial raising agents but we know it also makes our crispbreads light, crisp and tasty.

Sourdough is a natural means of leavening bread, used in traditional artisan bakeries and of course at our own bakery in Edinburgh. It is made using a small amount of “mother dough” or “starter”. This contains a natural culture, which not only gives the crispbread its distinctive taste and texture but also health-giving pro-biotic properties. Our precious starter is kept alive, lovingly fed and nurtured every day to make yet another batch. It is not uncommon for a starter to be alive for 40 or 50 years with each baker’s bread taking on the distinctive taste of its “mother”. Jan Hedh’s sourdough starter was originally brought from California when he visited in 1963. It is still alive and used in baking at our Edinburgh bakery to this day.

We know how important sourdough is to our crispbreads; how it gives us the bubbles; how it deepens the flavour and lightens the texture and how it helps to make each one golden and wobbly. We will always use sourdough in our crispbreads. We know it’s good for them and we know it’s good for you!