Scandinavian Cardamom Sweet Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 pods cardamom pods
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 whole large egg
• 2 tablespoons pearl sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Crush 10 cardamom pods with the side of a large chef's knife or a mortar and pestle. Pop open the pods and remove the black seeds, discarding the papery husks. Crush the seeds into a fine powder with the mortar and pestle — this releases their essential oils and prevents grainy bites in the bread.

2. 2

   Pour 1 cup whole milk into a small saucepan and add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set the pan over low heat and stir gently until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. The milk should feel pleasantly warm to the touch — around 110°F on an instant-read thermometer — not hot, which would kill the yeast. If it gets too hot, let it cool for a minute or two.

3. 3

   Pour the warm milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 1 packet instant yeast over the liquid and stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved. Wait 30 seconds, then add the cardamom powder and stir to combine.

4. 4

   Add 3.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.5 cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will look rough and uneven — this is correct.

5. 5

   Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead for 8–10 minutes. Push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back over itself, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. You should feel the dough transform from sticky and loose to smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky. When you poke it gently, it should spring back slowly.

6. 6

   Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled 3-quart bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot — around 75–78°F — for 60–75 minutes, until the dough roughly doubles in size. It should look puffy and airy when you lift the wrap.

7. 7

   Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly flour your work surface again. Turn the risen dough out and pat it gently to deflate — do not knead it further, as this would toughen the bread. Divide the dough into three equal pieces using a bench scraper or large knife.

8. 8

   Roll each piece into a long rope about 12 inches long and 1 inch thick. To do this, place a piece of dough on the work surface and, starting from the center, roll it outward with your hands until it's evenly tapered at both ends. Repeat with the remaining two pieces.

9. 9

   Pinch the three ropes together at one end. Braid them loosely and evenly — cross the right rope over the center, then the left over the center, alternating, until you reach the end. Pinch the ends together and tuck both the top and bottom pinches under the braid so it looks neat and compact. Transfer the braid to a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.

10. 10

    Cover the braided loaf loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 30–40 minutes, until it's puffy and springs back slowly when poked gently — the second rise should be noticeably smaller than the first.

11. 11

    While the braid rises, crack 1 large egg into a small bowl and whisk with 1 tablespoon water until combined. This egg wash will give the bread a beautiful golden sheen.

12. 12

    Remove the plastic wrap from the braid. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg wash all over the top and sides of the braid, being careful not to deflate it. Immediately sprinkle 2 tablespoons pearl sugar evenly over the top — the egg wash helps it stick. Pearl sugar won't dissolve like granulated sugar, so it creates little crunchy pockets that persist after baking.

13. 13

    Slide the baking sheet into the preheated 400°F oven. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the braid is deep golden brown all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 190–195°F — this ensures the crumb is fully cooked inside and not doughy.

14. 14

    Transfer the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack. Let the pulla cool on the sheet for 5 minutes — it will firm up slightly so it's easier to handle — then slide it onto the rack to cool completely. Cutting into warm bread will compress the crumb, so wait at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with butter and jam or enjoy plain with a cup of strong coffee.

Tools you’ll need

• small saucepan
• instant-read thermometer
• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• work surface
• 3-quart mixing bowl
• plastic wrap or kitchen towel
• bench scraper or large chef's knife
• rimmed baking sheet
• parchment paper
• small bowl
• whisk
• pastry brush
• wire cooling rack

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