(Øllebrød)
Beer-bread is a very old and typically Danish dish, known to small children as soon as they can handle a spoon. But not only children thrive on the daily portion of beer-bread (prepared without the strong beer); there are also many adult Danes who know of no better start to the day than their morning beerbread.
1 lb (450 g) ryebread
1 ½-1 ¾ pints (¾ l) water
1 ½ bottles dark low-alcohol beer
3-4 tablesp. (100 g) sugar
2-3 teasp. grated lemon-peel (or orange-peel)
Small piece of cinnamon stick
About ¼ pint (1-2 dl) lager
Cut up the bread into squares and soak overnight in just sufficient cold water to cover.
Simmer under a tightly-fitting lid until very soft, stirring frequently in order to prevent burning.
Add water if necessary.
Pass the bread soup through a sieve or blend in a mixer, return to the pot and dilute with the low-alcohol beer.
Add the sugar, lemon-peel and cinnamon to taste.
Simmer for 10-15 min.
If the beer-bread is too thick, dilute with water or beer, using lager if a strong flavour of beer is desired.
Serve with ice-cold milk, cream or whipped cream.