What was the name of the particular breads you enjoyed on your trip? Was it made with rye, wheat, oats, barley, or a combination?

Danish ryes tend to be lighter and sweeter than German ryes, but you said it wasn't sweet, was it a light rye or similar to German Pumpernickel (more like a dense "brick" that has been steamed in the oven, rather than baked)?

Nordic Breads...
Kernebrod
Tresse
Limpa
Rogbrod
Swedish Caraway Bread
Scandinavian Star
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Here are some different recipes for Sprouted Breads....

This recipe uses a sponge method which works very well when using whole wheat flour. I'd add 1/4 t. ascorbic acid powder to the sponge, but that's me, always trying to improve a recipe. But then, I always add ascorbic acid anytime I make a yeasted bread that contains whole wheat flour or wheat germ. You'll get better gluten development if you use ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid isn't necessary when making sourdough breads. Sourdough breads are acidic enough. -Grainlady

SPROUTED WHEAT BREAD
(source: Deaf Smith Country Cookbook)

Yield: Two 9x5-inch loaves

3 c. lukewarm water
1 T. dry yeast

1/4 c. unsulfured molasses or raw honey
4 T. unrefined oil
1 t. sea salt
4 c. whole wheat flour

2 c. wheat sprouts (more can be used)
3-4 c. whole wheat flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water.

Add the molasses, oil, salt, and flour. Beat well. Let rise for 1 hour.

Add the wheat sprouts (ground in a food grinder or hand grain mill) to the raised sponge.

Add additional flour to make the dough kneadable. Knead well on a floured board.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down and form into 2 loaves and place in oiled loaf pans. Let rise about 30 minutes. Bake 1 hour at 350F. Cool on rack.
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SPROUTED WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
(source: Wheat Cookin' Made Easy - by Pam Crockett)

1 c. milk, scalded
1/2 c. water
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. honey
1 egg
1 c. sprouts
1 t. salt
1 pkg. dry yeast
4 cups whole wheat flour

Liquefy in blender, scalded milk, water, vegetable oil, honey, egg and sprouts. Pour into large mixing bowl and add salt and 2 cups of whole wheat flour. Mix well. Add yeast and remaining 2 eups of flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Form into a greased 9x5-inch pan and let rise until doubled in bulk. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes at 350°F.

Grainlady note: I'm going to question going from kneading to formed loaf without allowing the dough to double in bulk if using active dry yeast. If you use an instant type yeast (Quick-Rise, Rapid-Rise, SAF-Instant, Bread Machine Yeast), you can knead the dough, then cover and allow it to rest for 10 minutes, THEN form and allow to proof. So there may have been a step omited in this recipe.
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WHEAT SPROUTS BREAD
(source: Uprisings - The Whole Grain Bakers' Book)

2 c. warm water
2 t. malt
2 T. molasses
1 T. yeast
5 cups hard whole wheat flour
1/2 lb. (about 2 cups) wheat sprouts
1 t. salt
2 T. whey powder (optional)
3 T. oil
1-1/2 T. soy flour

Mix together water, yeast, sweeteners and 2 cups flour. Let sit till bubbly. Then add remaining ingredients, and knead well, reserving or adding a little flour to obtain a good elastic texture. Let raise in oiled covered bowl, shape into loaves and let rise again. Bake at 350°F, 45 minutes. Yield: two 1-1/2-pound loaves.
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Sprouted Wheat Bread
(source: http://emr.cs.iit.edu/~reingold/ruths-kitchen/recipes/breads/sprouted_wh.html)

This sprouted wheat bread is moist and hearty without weighing a ton. Be sure to start it 3 or 4 days before you want to bake because you need to grow the sprouts first. I originally got this idea from Bernard Clayton, Jr., The Complete Book of Breads, Simon and Shuster, 1973.

Early Preparations
3 days prior to baking, put 1/4 cup whole wheat seeds or berries in a 1-quart jar. Cover the mouth of the jar with cheesecloth, fastened with a rubber band. Soak seeds in warm water. Pour off the water (save), and place jar on its side, in a dark place. Twice a day, rinse the berries in tepid water (80°-85° )poured through the cheesecloth. Each time drain and reserve the water for a total of 2 cups rinsing water. Store the rinsing water in the refrigerator.

Ingredients
1/4 cup wheat seeds or berries (see above)
2 cups tepid water for rinsing (see above)
2 pkgs. dry yeast
the same 2 cups of rinsing water, heated to 100°F.
1/4 cup each brewer's yeast and honey
3 T. oil
5 cups whole wheat flour
1 T. salt
When the sprouts are as long as the seed, bake the bread. Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid (heated to 100°). Put remaining ingredients (except for 1 cup of flour and sprouts) in bowl of food processor. Add yeast mixture, and mix until smooth. Leave in food processor to rise for 1 hour. Stir down; add sprouts and 1 additional cup of whole wheat flour. Mix until fairly smooth, adding flour if needed. Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until double. Punch down, knead 30 seconds, and divide into two. Shape into balls, and let rest for 5 minutes. Form loaves by making an oval, folding in half, and pinching seam. Put in greased loaf pans to rise. Cover, and allow to double. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake loaves for 25 minutes, lower heat to 300°F., and bake an additional 35 minutes. Finished loaves should give a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes if loaves are not done. Cool on rack. These freeze quite well. Yield: 2 loaves.

OK....stupid question.
I messed around with sprouted wheat bread years ago....and was generally met with.."ick" and derision. My husband said that eating a sandwich made from my sprouted wheat bread was really saving time because you could eat lunch and floss your teeth at the same time.
I put my own sprouted wheat, sprouted on my kitchen counter, into the bread.
Should I have dried it first? Then put it in the blender or something?
Linda C

Linda C - Different recipes call for different processes. Some leave the sprouted wheat just like it comes from the sprouting jar (after they've been well rinsed). You may get better results by lightly chopping or grinding them. Some recipes call for the sprouts to be processed in a blender or a food processor.

If you have time to look through the recipes I posted above, I tried to post different methods and you'll see the sprouts treated in different ways.

I got the same comments the first time I made bread with cooked whole wheat berries in it. I make such strange breads now, adding all kinds of "chunky stuff", that almost anything goes and we enjoy most of them.

-Grainlady

I sprout a half-3/4 cup for two loaves of bread (only until the roots are as long as the berries) I toss them in the food processor and chop them a bit. DH and I like the chunky stuff, but the kid is more a wonder bread person. This is a good compromise.

Sella jane, if you are still looking. I've been looking through Peter Rinehart's whole wheatbread book and he has some sprouted wheat recipes and a mash bread recipe that may be what you are looking for. This book is completely different bread book, tempting me to try something out of it for a whole grain bread.

Thanks so much for the responses. Will try the recipes, Grainlady, in the next few weeks.

I process cooked rice and/or spelt, a few seconds before adding it/them to the dough-makes it easier to slice. Will try that with the sprouts, too.

When we had the Scandanavian breads, many had names that I should have had in writing! Am not skilled in any of the languages-but really enjoyed ALL the food! LOL-with a five pound weight gain in three weeks, despite lots of walking!
Asking for Rinehart's book at the library.
cella jane