Pulla Finnish Coffee Buns Food

FINNISH PULLA

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, 4 eggs, and enough flour to make a batter (approximately 2 cups). Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add about 3 cups of the flour and beat well; the dough should be smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the melted butter or margarine, and stir well. Beat again until the dough looks glossy. Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is stiff.
• Turn out of bowl onto a floured surface, cover with an inverted mixing bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, and turn the dough to grease the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let rise again until almost doubled.
• Turn out again on to a floured surface, and divide into 3 parts. Divide each third into 3 again. Roll each piece into a 12 to 16 inch strip. Braid 3 strips into a loaf. You should get 3 large braided loaves. Lift the braids onto greased baking sheets. Let rise for 20 minutes.
• Brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottom burns easily.

PULLA-FINNISH COFFEE BUNS

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in milk.
• Add sugar, salt , cardomom, eggs and enough flour to make a batter(about 2 cups).
• Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add 3 cups flour, and beat well until dough is smooth and glossy.
• Stir in melted butter and beat again, adding the rest of the flour until a stiff dough forms.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board and cover with a inverted mixing bowl. Let dough rest 15 minutes. Knead until smooth and satiny.
• Place dough in a lightly greased mixing bowl , turn dough to grease the top, cover lightly and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, app 1 hours.
• Punch down and let rise again, until almost doubled, about 30 minute.
• Roll out dough into a rectangle 24x36 inches. Spread with half cup of soft butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and ground almonds.
• Roll up into a firm log shaped roll. Cut diagonally to make triangular shaped pieces measuring about 1 inch on one side and 2.5 inches on the other.
• With the side of your finger, press down the center of the rolls so the cut ends spread out, creating two ear shaped sides. Place the rolls on a greased baking sheet and let rise for 30 minute.
• Glaze with beaten egg , and sugar topping.
• Bake in hot oven (400F) 25-30 minutes. Remove when golden brown.
• Makes app 36 buns.
• Serve with coffee. Can be frozen.

FINNISH BUTTER EYE BUNS "VOISILMäPULLA"

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups Flour, the cardamom, yeast and salt. Set aside.
• Combine milk, butter and sugar into a small pot.
• Heat on the burner until just hot and butter is almost melted, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• Add milk mixture and egg to flour mixture, beat on low for 1 minute and on high for 3 minutes (I have no electric mixer at the moment so I beat it with a spoon "really fast" for 3 minutes and it does the job just fine :).
• Add in additional flour until dough is workable and turn out to a floured surface.
• Kneed dough until it springs back when you touch it.
• Let rise for an hour or until doubled in size.
• Punch down and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Make into rolls about the size of a small fist -- or however big or small you want them. The official recipe says 20 pieces. I think I come out with about the same.
• Brush with beaten egg.
• Make a thumb print into each roll and add 1/2 tsp butter and 1/2 tsp sugar.
• Bake in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
• Serve with coffee or tea :).
• The preparation time does include the hour to rise.