This is by far one of the best sweet doughs I ever made.
It contains yeast but it comes together easily and is supple and great to handle.
Festive breads is something that’s always on my end-of-the-year bucket list, but sadly for them, they hardly ever get made. Blame it on the hectic month of December, which here includes hot days and almost there summer vacations.
So I’m glad I made today’s Tuesday with Dorie recipe. The contributing baker is Beatrice Ojakangas. Now, if you never heard of her it’s fine. But if you never made her quick danish dough recipe you really should. Really. No kidding. You should make danish with her recipe, it’s amazing.
Back to our bread, I love scandinavian baked things. They usually have cardamom, which is one of my favorite spices, ever since I discovered whole pods. The fragrant, lemony, intense aroma of just ground cardamom is an experience in itself. The flavor after baking is sweet and unique.
The butter is melted before adding, very nice, it makes for a silky smooth dough. Then comes an interesting part which involves oiling the work surface in order to work easily when braiding the bread.
This is a round braided loaf, so the three strands have to be very long. But man, that oiled dough is a marvel to work with, the strands get braided in no time, there’s no messy adhering of dough to the counter and it’s quite easy to maintain the shape of the whole thing.
After all, it’s almost Christmas, we want our breads to look pretty. Don’t we? Though my braids will always be irregular. It’s just my style. or so I tell myself.
There was a bow involved, to put over both overlapping ends of the circle to cover it, which I didn’t do. I just added some extra pearl sugar and almonds there before baking. And the pic in the book, Baking with Julia, doesn’t have a bow. Or I can’t find one. So I’m going with that.
I went from almost not making this recipe today to not only posting it, but also the ideas of working with it are making quite a long line in my mind. It’s a not-too-sweet, easy to work with, perfect for so many additions, and quite-fast-to-make dough, considering there’s no overnight fridge sleepover like brioche.
It’ll make a good King’s Wreath or Easter Bread, a sweet bread made here on jan 6 and Easter time. They are supposed to be different, but usually, one type works for both occasions.
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A beautiful Scandinavian sweet bread. One of the best I ever made.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (250g) whole milk, warm
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup (60g) warm water
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, room tº
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups (630 to 700g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (115g) melted butter
- Milk to brush before baking
- Light brown sugar to sprinkle
For the glaze:
- 1 egg
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl (I do it by hand) put warm water.
Add yeast and mix with a wooden spoon or similar. It will be lumpy and weird. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand 3-5 minutes until frothy.
Add warm milk, sugar, cardamom, and eggs. Mix a few times until eggs are combined.
Add 1/3 of the flour amount and salt. Mix with the spoon. It will be lumpy and rough.
With the stand mixer: attach the dough hook.
At low/medium speed add the melted butter and rest of the flour (the smaller amount) 1/2 cup at a time. Stop the mixer, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
By hand: Add melted butter and half of the remaining flour (the smaller amount) and mix well with a spoon. Add the rest of the flour and mix. It will be dry and lumpy.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
Now on to the kneading.
If using the stand mixer use the dough hook at medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until you have a shiny, satiny but slightly sticky dough. You might use the extra flour stated above but don’t be tempted to add more unless the dough is very wet and sticky.
If kneading by hand, do it on a clean surface, ideally marble counter or similar.
Knead while adding the rest of the flour by tablespoons until the dough is shiny, slightly sticky but it’s easy to separate it from the counter. It takes a few minutes to start coming together. You should knead for 8-10 minutes.
Put the dough in an oiled or buttered large bowl and turn it onto itself so the whole surface is greased.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free warm place until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the temperature of the place. Alternatively, you can now refrigerate it for 8 hours. Once you’re ready to shape, take it out of the fridge and wait 15 minutes or so, it depends on how warm your space is. Don’t wait too much since the cold dough is much easier to shape.
Have ready a buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet.
When ready to braid, gently punch the dough down and turn it onto the counter or similar surface cut the dough in 3 parts and make them into ropes.
Put three ends together pinching them down and braid them. Then join the ends to make a wrath.
Transfer the braid to the pan. cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise 30 minutes or so, until slightly puffed.
Or braid it some other way, see notes above.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF /180ºC.
Mix the egg and milk and brush the surface with it. Sprinkle with pearl sugar if you want and sliced almonds.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until puffed, golden.
Keywords: pulla, Finnish bread, Scandinavian bread
Yours looks so beautiful! You definitely didn't need to bow 🙂
Paula, you continue to inspire me to make breads… I am so afraid of yeast! But this one will be made for sure, and maybe today. Right now, I am sitting by the fireside. That alone makes it the perfect bread-baking day. I have yeast. I have cardamom pods. I have flour. Your photos are beautiful – so much so that I can smell and taste the cardamom! ~ David
You should bake bread David, it´s one of the most rewarding things to do in the kitchen in my opinion. Can´t beat homemade fresh bread!
There's nothing wrong with irregular – rustic things are beautiful as well 😉 Great pictures!
Gorgeous pictures and such beautiful color on your loaf. Picture perfect!
Beautiful photography and absolutely delicious looking pulla. Cannot wait to try our version gluten free.
Beautiful Paula!!! Just gorgeous!
My favorite kinds of wreaths are edible 😉 This looks absolutely beautiful and I love the addition of cardamom.
Wowowo , I am speechless !!! That is one gorgeous looking bread . Such beautiful color on the bread , it looks like a piece of art . Seasons greetings to you Paula :).
Your photos look absolutely delicious!
Gorgeous bread and beautiful photos.. I am so glad I tried it too, loved it.. Happy holidays..
Looks so lovely and my mom was from Finland but never made this!!
Gorgeous bread and photos-just lovely!!!
I love all Scandinavian breads and will have to try the danish recipe from Beatrice Ojakangas, I have a few of her baking books and love reading over the recipes, which are always excellent;-)
Beautiful, Paula. Your crumb looks absolutely perfect!
This bread was holiday table worthy and I am hoping to get a chance to make it again
Your bread looks lovely – such a beautiful burnished colour.I just couldn't work out how to make a bow, so I gave up and don'tthink it made a difference.
Wow. great photos. Looks yummy.
I checked out the Danish recipe and now I MUST make it for Christmas. It never ends does it … make it, eat it, find new recipe, make it, eat it! Thanks for sharing, Merry Christmas!
I know! Happy holiday to you too!
Beautiful photos! I am so glad you made this bread so we could enjoy seeing it! Merry Christmas!
Wow, this looks fantastic!! I love homemade bread, but this one is gorgeous!