My twist on Pulla...

Pulla is a Finnish sweet cardamom flavored bread (also finnish sweet rolls). What makes this really awesome is the cardamom flavor that is inherent in the bread – it’s not sickly sweet and would make you come back for more.

I can’t tell you how long I have been waiting to make this bread but never had an opportunity. It’ s a braided bread and I found out that there are couple of techniques to get them braided (thanks to youtube). Though the technique I followed is not an easy one, I still could pull this one off. If you are someone, who can make bread without a sweat then there will be no concerns for you. However, for people like me, who have to think this like a big project here are couple of pointers- the trick is kneading the dough to let the yeast work it’s magic and giving enough rest time for the dough to rise.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk
• 1 pkt dry yeast (about 7 to 8 gms)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt (can skip if you use salted butter)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp crushed cardamom seeds
• 4-5 cups flour (all purpose)
• 1 stick melted unsalted butter
• 1 egg mixed with a bit of water for egg wash
• for filling-
• 2-3 tbsp softened butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Instructions

• Heat milk till it is lukewarm.
• Pour milk into large bowl and stir in the yeast.
• Allow the yeast to awaken and let it sit for about 7 minutes.
• Add egg, crushed cardamom, sugar and salt and whisk till they are incorporated.
• Stir in about 1 cup of flour, melted butter and whisk into a batter.
• Add the rest of the flour.
• Knead for about 10 minutes with your hands on a lightly floured surface. (If it is too sticky, add a bit of flour).
• The kneaded dough should be springy to touch.
• Place the dough in a bowl and cover bowl with cling wrap/ towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
• In the meanwhile, mix the filling ingredients together.
• Once your dough has risen and doubled in size, knock the air out and Knead it gently for a couple of minutes on a lightly floured surface.
• Roll the dough into a oblong or an oval shape with a roller on a parchment paper.
• with the help of a pizza cutter, make slanting cuts along both sides (be careful not to cut deep as we need the space in middle for the filling)
• Just ensure that the strips you cut are equal in number on both sides and are of the same length on both sides.
• Spread the filling in middle.
• Leaving the end closest to the filling attached, start braiding the strips over the filling tucking in the loose ends.
• Tuck the end and pinch the dough to seal it off.
• Cover with dish towel and let it sit at least 15 minutes to rise again before baking it.
• About 5 minutes before baking, give it a quick egg wash.
• Bake them at 200 degree celsius for about 15-20 minutes on a preheated oven.
• Enjoy with a cuppa steaming coffee.

Cardamom & Cinnamon Swirl bread...

The ambience was perfect for baking. I had the whole house to myself & I had all the ingredients in my kitchen cabinet. My buddy, the radio was belting out good songs. I am on a baking spree these days and I can’t complaint. This bread is special because, it includes my two favorite C’s- Cardamom and Cinnamon. Oh boy, the smell that wafts all around the house, just spikes up your spirit! This one is a winner :)

Phew, preparation time is long. And you have to be patient while the yeast does the trick. If you are an impatient soul like me, it becomes tough. Trust me, all the patience is rewarded with a sensational and aromatic bread :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 3-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 11/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cardamom
• Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
• Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Instructions

1. Step 1 will be to awaken your sleeping yeast. Mix yeast and 1/4 tsp of sugar in a bowl with 2-3 tbsp of warm water. Set it aside for five minutes for the yeast to froth.
2. Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot.
3. Since I used salted butter, I haven’t used any salt separately for the dough.
4. In a bowl beat sugar and eggs until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour, bit by bit and knead until combined.
5. If dough is very sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and knead for 5 minutes.
6. Once the dough is done, place it in a bowl and set it in a warm, hospitable place for an hour.
7. The dough should double in volume after an hour.
8. Once the dough is doubled, punch out the air and gently knead it on a work surface.
9. with the help of a rolling pin, roll the dough in a rectangle (ensure it is not too wide to put in the baking pan).
10. Spread some butter on the dough.
11. Mix sugar, cardamom and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.
12. Spread the baking pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
13. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius.
14. Mix a little egg with milk, and brush over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.
15. Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve with a cuppa steaming coffee- bliss!

Cardamom buns!

If I had to chose a flavor, I might be very confused between cinnamon and cardamom! I loveeeeeeeee both and can't get enough of them :) - Both are versatile and can be used in sweet bakery items and can simply enhance an Indian gravy. I love cinnamon in my coffee and always drink my milk with cardamom pods in them. This time, instead of using the usual cinnamon, I tried my hand with cardamom and boy, the buns were awesome. Before I start off again with my ramblings on cardamom and cinnamon, here is my recipe for cardamom buns! Enjoy-

Ingredients-

500 gms all purpose flour

50 gms sugar

pinch of salt

30 gms butter (melted)

12 gms dry yeast

2 tsp cardamom powder

1 egg yolk

250 ml warm milk
1/2 cup raisins

Preparation- 

Activate the yeast by mixing it in a small cup of warm water and a tsp of sugar. Set it aside for five minutes. In a separate bowl, mix flour with salt, sugar, raisins and cardamom powder. Start mixing the flour with the help of yeast mixture. Slowly, blend in the egg yolk, melted butter and warm milk. Knead the flour with your hands for five minutes till it gets a good texture. Place the dough in a separate bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel. Allow the dough to raise for an hour.

Once the dough has risen, knead it for a couple of minutes on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into medium sized balls. Take one dough ball and roll it into a strip. Tie the strip into a knot. Work in a similar fashion on the rest of the dough. Line a greaseproof paper on a baking tray and place your buns on the tray. Cover the tray with a damp cloth and allow the buns to raise a bit for 10-15 minutes. Coat each bun with a bit of butter and pop them in a preheated oven for baking (@ 200 degree celsius). Bake the buns till golden brown. Enjoy!!!