It may seem a little out of place to have a bread recipe on a Habitat for Humanity web site but every year we try to share family favorite recipes for the holidays! Last year we shared a number of our employee’s favorites. This year we are sharing one of our employee’s grandmother’s special Holiday Recipes; Swedish Cardamom Bread! It’s really quite easy to make and disappears faster than you can spell Cardamom! From our table to yours……Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!
INGREDIENTS 1 Cup Whole Milk 1/2 Cup granulated sugar 1/2 Cup butter 4 cups bread flour or all purpose unbleached flour 1 large egg ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter melted Egg Wash:1 egg yolk for the egg wash 2 tablespoons cream Frosting/Glaze1 cup powdered sugar1 tablespoon water
STEP 1 Heat milk on medium heat to scalding. (Do not boil) Stir in the butter and sugar until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour into a mixing bowl and cool to lukewarm. Mix in the large egg and then yeast mixture. STEP 2 Blend in salt and 2 tablespoons cardamom. Add 2 cups of the flour. Then gradually add more flour until a soft dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. STEP 3 Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth. I do this step in food processor with dough hook for 10 minutes. The dough should remain soft, so do not add too much flour. STEP 4 Place the dough in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 45 minutes to an hour; the dough should have doubled in size. STEP 5 At this point you will make a simple braided bread. Punch down the dough, divide in half, and then divide each half into 3 equal parts. Roll the dough pieces into ropes, braid them, and tuck the ends under. STEP 6 Cover lightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm area for about 40 minutes to an hour so the dough can have a second rising. STEP 7 Preheat the oven to 350F. Whisk together the egg yolks and cream and brush over the dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes of baking, if the top is browned, tent with aluminum foil. STEP 8 Remove from oven and let cool completely. Whisk together powdered sugar and water for the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the pastry.
