This is by far one of the best sweet doughs I ever made. It is a yeast bread laced with cardamom, with a soft texture and it comes together easily. It's the perfect recipe for holiday braided breads.
Baking festive bread is something that's always on my end-of-the-year bucket list. Sadly for them, they hardly ever get made. Blame it on the hectic month of December, which here includes hot days and preparing for summer vacation.
About this Pulla bread recipe
It is a specialty of Scandinavian baking, and is very popular in Finland.
This is a brioche-like dough, enriched with eggs and butter. Easier to make and much more gentle on your stand mixer since it doesn't need to knead it for so long you're afraid it might just explode, as it does with brioche.
I knew this was a great bread, but it exceeded my expectations. It is easy to make, absolutely delicious with a wonderful crumb, and can be used for so many things, from cinnamon or orange rolls to little sandwich breads, to french toast or bread pudding.
What is cardamom?
Cardamom is a spice made from seeds and, in my opinion, has a lemony mint flavor, very unique.
So aromatic and fresh and just plain wonderful. I completely omitted the vanilla and got exactly the cake I wanted.
Buying pods and grinding them yourself is highly recommended. As opposed to buying ground cardamom. The flavor is very different in my experience. Unless you buy super freshly ground cardamom, it loses its flavor and power very quickly.
This is a recipe from Beatrice Ojakangas that I made for a group I was in many years ago.
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.
I love my simple Cardamom Bundt Cake with that incredible texture, or the very spicy Ginger Cardamom Cookies, one of my favorites for the holiday season.
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 bread to look pretty. Don't we? Though my braids will always be irregular. It's just my style. or so I tell myself.
This bread is quite a magnificent thing. It comes out of the oven all puffed and golden, the kind of bread that attracts looks.
It makes a good King's Wreath or Easter Bread. They are supposed to be different, but usually, one type of dough works well for both occasions.
I really urge you to try it. It's that good.
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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Pulla (Finnish holiday bread)
Ingredients
Bread dough:
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk, warm
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, you might need more
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted
Egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
For the bread dough:
- Put ¼ cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if making it by hand.
- Add 1 teaspoon active dry yeast and mix with a spoon. It will be lumpy and weird. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand 3-5 minutes until frothy.
- Add 1 cup whole milk, warm, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 2 eggs. Mix a few times until the eggs are combined.
- Add 1 and ½ cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix with the spoon. It will be lumpy and rough.
- With the stand mixer: attach the dough hook. At low/medium speed add ½ cup butter, melted, and 3 cups flour, half cup at a time. Stop the mixer, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
- By hand: add ½ cup melted butter and 1 and ½ cups flour and mix well with a spoon. Add 1 and ½ cups flour and mix. It will be dry and lumpy.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
- 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 ½ cup flour 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 (the dough should be able to double comfortably) 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 refrigerate it for 8 hours. Once you're ready to shape it, take it out of the fridge and wait 15 minutes or so, it depends on how warm your space is. Don't wait too long 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 into 3 parts and make them into ropes.
- Put three ends together, pinch them down and braid them. Then join the ends to make a wrath. Or make 2 braided logs, not a wreath.
- Transfer the braid to the pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes, until slightly puffed.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°).
For the egg wash:
- Mix 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk and brush the surface of the bread. Sprinkle with pearl sugar if you want, and ¼ cup sliced almonds.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until puffed, golden and the bottom sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite says
So so pretty! I need to make it again and get the braiding right! Oh, and make that danish recipe!
Silvia says
Hola, Paula !
Acabo de sacar el pulla del horno. Lo voy a repetir ! Es exquisito y el paso a paso facilita muchísimo la tarea.
Cariños.
Silvia says
Totalmente de acuerdo con la repetición!
Feliz Navidad, Paula.
Have Apron....Will Bake says
Cardamom is definitely a good thing! Fabulous looking pulla. I love your photos...they're wonderful. I look forward to trying this bread again and again.
Gretchen Noelle @ Provecho Peru says
I had a bit of trouble with the bow and you are right, there is no bow in the book! Lovely job on this wreath!
smarkies says
Those are some lovely photos and your braid does look perfect! Well done on the delicious looking bread!
breaddivas says
Gorgeous photos! I think your braid looks absolutely perfect. Thanks for the link to the Danish braid as that looks yummy too!
Deb says
Just lovely! The Finnish Pulla is a stunner, well done! December is a month with too many recipes to try and never enough time!
Shulie Foodwanderings says
Gorgeous. I guess we both had the same mind set today. 🙂 Was so tempted to make it round, but had to follow the recipe. Beautiful & happy holidays!
Medeja says
Looks great.. I would like it with milk!
meli melo says
Your Finnish Pulla looks great!
Definitely a keeper to make in different times, with different flavors!!!
Happy Holidays!
e / dig in says
as always, i am supremely in awe of anyone who can make bread, paula! your pictures - the bread looks moist and fluffy and lovely.
Teresa says
I think your braid looks lovely. This bread has just the right balance of sweetness, softness, and flavour.
Kat says
Beautiful bread Paula! I'm definitely a fan of Northern Europe's breads (as you know), and cardamom makes them so flavorful. I completely agree about the spice, taking in its scent is an experience in itself.
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, wonderful photography and a gorgeous looking Finnish dessert bread - the wreath looks so professionally done, it is just perfect. The cardamom was a delicious addition to the dough and the toppings of both the pearl sugar and the slivered almonds were just the rught pretty and delicious last touch. Fabulous post!
Savory Simple says
Cardamom and fresh bread together is the best thing I've seen all day.
Lizzy Do says
Yours is PEFECT! I love all your ideas for using this recipe again 🙂
Kathy says
Gorgeous looking bread, Paula! I froze mine to save for Christmas morning…can’t wait to give it a try! Your photos are so lovely! Happy Tuesday!
Julia says
Paula, your bread looks great! I might just need to look into that danish recipe. My husband is a huge fan of good danishes.
Jules Someone says
Gorgeous! I loved this one. I liked that it was flexible enough to rise in the fridge. We'll be making it again!
Susan says
Just gorgeous, Paula! Your post looks like a magazine spread!