Finnish pulla bread is glazed with egg and milk before baking. Make a wreath or loaf with it. Eggs, milk, and butter make brioche. Bakers add almonds or raw sugar to dough. I added summer-leftover Italian granulated sugar. Makes this lovely bread festive.
Ingredient
– 1 ⅓ cups milk heated to 115°– ⅔ cup sugar– 4 tsp. ground cardamom– 2 ¼ oz. packages active dry yeast– 3 eggs lightly beaten– 6 ½ cups bread flour– 1 tsp. kosher salt– 5 tbsp unsalted butter – 1 tbsp heavy cream – 1 egg yolk– pearl sugar – sliced almond
Direction
1
Pour milk, sugar, 3 tsp. cardamom, and yeast into a stand mixer and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. Add eggs one at a time and mix with dough hook.
2
Stir in flour and salt to make dough. Mix dough for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add butter slowly, mixing until incorporated before adding the next batch, 3–4 minutes; knead for 4 minutes after last butter is added.
3
Put dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it double in size, about an hour. Punch down dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°.
4
Divide dough into two equal pieces on a work surface. Set aside one piece and cut the other into three equal pieces. Create a 16" rope by rolling each piece between your palms and work surface. Braided rope loaf.
5
Transfer loaf to parchment-lined baking sheet. Use second dough piece. Wrap loaves in plastic and let sit for 20 minutes to puff up. Or make a big wreath like I did with all the dough.
6
In a small bowl, mix the rest of the cardamom with the cream and egg yolk. Brush the mixture over the loaves.
7
If you want, you can add almonds and sugar on top. Bake one loaf at a time (or one big wreath) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Move to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
also see
also see
Kale and Chickpea Soup with Garlic Crostini Recipe