Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread)

Name: Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread)
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 12 people
Ingredients: ¾ c milk; ¼ c water; ⅓ c sugar; 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast; 4 ½ c unbleached all-purpose flour; 2 eggs; 2 tsp ground cardamom; ¾ tsp salt; 4 Tbsp unsalted butter; 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp of water; Coarse sugar and sliced almonds

User Reviews

4.6

90 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
3 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
Servings
12 people
Course
Bread
Cuisine
Scandinavian

Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread)

Kimberly Perez

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Pulla is a traditional Finnish sweet bread that is flavored with the unique scent of cardamom.Yield: 1 (15x6 inch) loaf

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Ingredients

Servings

¾ c milk, warmed to 110F
¼ c water, warmed to 110F
⅓ c sugar
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
4 ½ c unbleached all-purpose flour
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp ground cardamom
¾ tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp of water (for egg wash)
Coarse sugar and sliced almonds (for topping)

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Instructions

In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), combine milk, water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
Add 2 cups of flour, eggs, cardamom, and salt. Mix until smooth.
Add the butter and mix until combined.
Knead the dough in the bowl, adding enough of the remaining flour to keep it from sticking, until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl and doesn’t stick to your hands.
Shape the dough into a ball in the bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place for 1 - 1 ½ hours, or until doubled.
Once risen, knock back the dough and divide it into 3 strands for a braid.* Roll each strand into a 20 inch snake. Braid the strands and place the braided loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash and sprinkle it with sugar and almonds, if desired. Let the loaf rise for 30-40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Near the end of rising time, preheat your oven to 375F.
Bake the bred for 25-30 minutes, until golden and hollow sounding when tapped.
Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack before cutting.
Bread will keep for 1 week on the counter in an air-tight container.

Notes

*For Rolls: Divide the dough into 12 portions. Roll each portion of dough into a round ball and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Let rise for 20-30 minutes, until doubled. Bake the rolls for 10-15 minutes, until golden.
For Campfire Pulla: Place the dough in a greased, airtight container. The dough can then be portioned out and wrapped around a stick and baked over a warm fire.