Anitas Cardamom Bread Food

CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• Combine water, yeast, and 1 Tbs. of sugar in a bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast.
• Add the rest of the sugar, eggs, butter, evaporated milk, and cardamom. Mix well.
• Stir in 3 cups of the flour and beat well.
• Add remaining flour and mix until a soft dough is formed.
• Cover and let rest for about 30 minute.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic.
• Put dough into a greased bowl and turn over to coat both sides.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
• Put raised dough onto a lightly oiled surface, and divide into 2 pieces.
• Shape each into a loaf (I just leave it in a ball) and place on a greased baking sheet.
• Beat egg and milk (or water) for egg wash. Brush entire surface of dough with the egg wash.
• Again let rise until doubled, and then brush with the egg wash once more.
• Bake bread at 375°F for 35 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped with a finger.

EASY CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the warm milk, warm water, sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top, and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Once the yeast is foamy, stir in the flour, adding more if needed to make a stiff dough. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar with the cardamom and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 9x13-inch rectangle, and brush with 1/2 cup of melted butter. Sprinkle with the cardamom sugar, raisins, and walnuts. Roll into a log, pinch the edges closed, and place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• With a sharp knife score the top layer of the roll with V-shapes that don't quite meet in the middle the whole length of the roll, this will make the bread look braided, and is very pretty, but could be skipped. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with almonds and pearl sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is golden-brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

FINNISH SWEET CARDAMOM RAISIN BREAD (PULLA)

Steps:

• Soak raisins in hot tap water to cover until plump, about 20 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, stir together warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
• Stir together flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl, then blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Stir in milk, whole egg, and yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead, dusting surface and hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pat dough into a 9-inch square and sprinkle with raisins. Fold dough over to enclose raisins and pinch edges to seal. Knead, dusting surface and hands lightly with flour, until raisins are distributed. (Dough will be lumpy and slightly sticky; if any raisins pop out, just push them back in.) Form dough into a ball.
• Put dough in a buttered large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve.
• Cut each half into thirds and roll each piece into a 15-inch rope. Braid together 3 ropes to form a loaf, then transfer to a parchment-lined large baking sheet, tucking ends under.
• Make another loaf with remaining 3 ropes, arranging loaves 4 inches apart. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Brush loaves with egg wash and bake until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Cooks' note: Bread can be made 2 days ahead and kept, wrapped well, at room temperature or frozen 1 month.

SWEDISH CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• Grease a large bowl; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water with sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir honey, sugar, and salt into scalded milk; cool to lukewarm. Add milk mixture and 2 cups flour to dissolved yeast; beat until smooth. Add butter, eggs, cardamom, and raisins, beating until thoroughly blended. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a well floured board; knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in prepared bowl; grease top lightly. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick vegetable spray.
• Punch dough down; knead briefly. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces; roll each piece into a 14-inch rope. Place 3 ropes side-by-side and braid, pinching ends together to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes. Grease tops lightly. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine egg white and water, whisk. Brush tops of loaves with mixture. Bake 35 to 50 minutes or until loaves are a deep golden brown and tester inserted in center comes out clean. Carefully remove from baking sheet; cool completely on a wire rack.