Pulla: Finnish Cardemon Bread

INGREDIENTS (makes 2 loaves)

• • 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F – 45 degrees C)

  • 1 package (.25 ounce) active dry yeast

  • 2 cups milk ( 105 - 115 F - same as water)

  • 2/3 cup of white sugar

  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoon ground, fresh cardamon

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cups or 170 grams) COLD unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten)

  • I large egg white, lightly beaten with

  • 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)

  • TOPPING: almond slices and course sugar ( about 1 to 2 Tablespoons )

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and a pinch of sugar. Let stand until foamy, in 5 minutes

[ If yeast does not foam start over with new yeast]

2. Stir together flour, sugar, cardamon and salt in a large bowl, then blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Alternatively, grate the COLD butter using a box grater onto the flour mixture and fluff with your fingers (like I do).

3. Stir in milk, 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk and yeast mixture with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.

4. 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. Alternatively, knead in your stand mixer or food processor with the dough hook.

5. Form dough into a ball and put 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.

6. Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve. Then cut each half into thirds and roll each piece into a 15-inch rope. ( 6 ropes - for 2 loaves ) see pictures on the website

7. 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.

8. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

9. Brush loaves with egg wash and optionally dust with sugar through a sieve or sprinkle with pearl sugar if you have it. Bake until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 40 to 45 minutes. Check loaf periodically. My pulla was done in 35 minutes. Every oven is different. Some ovens run hotter that others.

Because I used granulated sugar, It had still not melted so I used my kitchen torch to bruleé the sugar. This is not traditional. The pearl sugar is but it is not so easy to find.

Check the loaf at 30 to 35 minutes for the amount of browning as your oven may be warmer. You can also turn the loaf as the back of the oven may be hotter.

10. Transfer to a rack to cool.