Breads"
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
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.