Hvetebrød Cardamom Braid Food

SWEDISH CARDAMOM BRAIDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, egg yolks, cardamom, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Divide each half into three portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each portion into a 16-in.-long rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Brush warm loaves with butter. Combine the pecans, sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over loaves.

NORWEGIAN CARDAMOM BREAD BRAIDS

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add warm milk, sugar, butter, 2 eggs, cardamom, salt and 6 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours., Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into fourths. Divide each portion into thirds; shape each into a 12-in. rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 375°. Beat remaining egg; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks.

CARDAMOM HOLIDAY BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, eggs, sugar, butter, cardamom, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 9 portions. Roll each into a 12-in. rope. Place ropes on greased baking sheets. Working with 3 at a time, braid ropes. Pinch ends to seal; tuck under., Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, make a glaze by mixing confectioners' sugar and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over loaves; decorate as desired with cherries and almonds.

HVETEBRøD (CARDAMOM BRAID)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Cream 3 tablespoons butter, sugar, salt, cardamom, and vanilla. Add milk, eggs, and yeast beat well. Add flour until a soft dough is formed knead until no longer sticky, using as little extra flour as possible. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a clean damp towel, and let rise until double in bulk. Turn onto a lightly-floured pastry cloth or board and let rest 15 minutes. Divide into thirds for 3 braids. For each braid, divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll each into a 12-inch strand place close together on a lightly-greased cookie sheet. Braid the strands loosely, starting from the middle and braiding to each end. This will give a more symmetrical braid. Fasten ends and tuck under securely. Brush with butter and let rise until double in size brush with milk if planning to frost. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.Glaze:*Blend confectioners' sugar, water, and almond extract. Drizzle glaze over braids and sprinkle with coarse sugar or chopped almonds.

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.

CARDAMOM BRAID BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, cardamom and salt. In a small saucepan, heat 1-1/2 cups milk, butter and honey to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough (dough will be sticky). , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Divide each portion into thirds. Shape each into a 14-in. rope. Place 3 ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Brush with remaining milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375° until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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.