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Swedish Cardamom Braid from Bernard Clayton's "The Complete Book

"Louise Hyson" <lhyson@mindspring.com>
Tue, 20 Nov 2001 23:19:27 -0500
v101.n055.5
 Breads"

It has been brought to my attention that I omitted the flour in this 
recipe, for which I apologize.

Louise

[[ Here is the recipe again, with the correction - 6 cups all purpose flour]]
[[ Jeff & Reggie ]]

Swedish Cardamom Braid

There is something undeniably hand-crafted in the appearance of a braided 
loaf, and this handsome plump bread, delicately seasoned with cardamom and 
dotted throughout with raisins, achieves the look with only a few 
twists.  It is a rich bread--three sticks of butter in less than four 
pounds of dough.  It keeps well, toasts beautifully (but must be watched), 
freezes well and overall, is a whilly satisfying baking experience.

Ingredients

2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup water, warm (105-115 F)
1/2 cup milk, scalded
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, (3 sticks) room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
6 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
3/4 cup raisins, seedless

Glaze: 1 egg white slightly beaten; 2 tablespoons sugar

Baking sheet: large baking sheet, greased or Teflon

Preparation - 15 minutes

In a small bowl or cup sprinkle yeast over water.  Beat briskly with whisk 
or fork until the granules are dissolved.

In a mixing bowl pour milk over sugar, salt and butter.  Stir to soften 
butter.  When the liquid has cooled to lukewarm add yeast mixture, eggs, 3 
cups of flour, cardamom and raisins.  With wooden spoon or electric mixer 
beat until smooth -- about 3 minutes.  Stir in additional flour, a cup at a 
time, first with the spoon and then by hand.  The dough will form a rough 
mass and clean the sides of the bowl.  It will not be sticky because of the 
large amount of shortening.   The dough should be firm but not stiff.

Kneading:  8 minutes

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, counter top or 
bread board.  With a strong push-turn-fold action, knead until it is smooth 
and elastic (about 5 minutes with the dough hook).

First Rising:  1 hour

Return the dough to the bowl (which does not need to be greased because of 
the high butter content of the dough).  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap 
and put the bowl in a warm place (80-85 F) until dough has doubled in volume.

Shaping:  20 minutes

Punch down, turn out on a floured surface.  Knead briefly to work out the 
air bubbles.  Divide the dough into two pieces.  Reserve one.  Cut the 
other into 3 equal parts and roll each under the palms into a fat roll 
about 12 inches long.  Braid these loosely, with no more than 5 or 6 
twists. Pinch the ends closed. Place the braid on the baking 
sheets.  Repeat with the reserved dough.

Second rising:  50 minutes

Cover with wax paper and return to the warm place until doubled in bulk.

Baking: 350 F for 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Before baking brush with the slightly beaten egg 
white mixed with sugar.  Bake in the oven until the loaves test done.  The 
crust will be a rich brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of 
the loaf will come out clean and dry.

Remove bread from the oven.  Use a metal spatula to lift the braid off the 
baking sheet because the hot loaf is somewhat fragile and might bread or 
bend. Cool on a metalrack before serving.