Happy Easter!

We have a busy day lined up for Easter this year: breakfast with Sebastien, church this morning, wine tasting this afternoon (with some people from Sebastien's wine education course, so it is technically "studying"), hors d'œuvres with friends, and then off to dinner with different friends!

I wanted to bring something special for our friends who are kind enough to share their Easters with us. That is why I was so busy yesterday in the kitchen!

One of the treats I made is pulla, a Finnish cardamon bread. I grew up eating it, with Raili and Carl, and their kids, whose home served as my "second home." I love this bread, and it isn't too complicated to make; it just takes a bit of time (it usually takes me extra time, too because I inevitably forget one of the ingredients at the store).

The recipes I've found online are all relatively similar to one another. I have been looking for good recipes for years, and have never tried a "bad" one, but definitely some are nicer than others, in how the bread turns out. I use bits and pieces from many to cobble together my pulla. As a rule, any recipe you find online is lacking in the cardamon department. That is what makes this bread so complex and tasty. However much they call for, I use about 5-7 times that amount. Trust me on this.


Pulla (my cobbled and adjusted recipe):

Need:
3 Tbs ground cardamon (Two of the best recipes I've found use 1-2 teaspoons - too little!!)
5 or 6 cardamon pods, if you have them around
2 c milk
2 pkg active dry yeast
2 eggs, beaten
1 c sugar
1/2 c melted (unsalted) butter
3/4 t salt
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

For glaze:
1 egg, beaten
sugar (I use pearl sugar, but it is a bit hard to find - I've heard Ikea has it though!)
maraschino cherries (just on special occasions - usually they are too sweet for me, but they are so pretty and festive.)

Do:
1. Heat milk and cardamon pods on stovetop at medium heat until a skin starts to form on the milk and it bubbles slightly. This should happen around 115'F. Remove the cardamon pods from the milk with a slotted spoon.
2. Combine ground cardamon, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then add the scalded milk and stir.
3. When you put your finger into the milk (and it is just very warm; not too hot), add the yeast packets and stir to dissolve yeast.
4. Add the eggs and butter and mix with a wooden spoon.
5. Add half of the flour and mix well.
6. Add the other half and mix more.
7. Knead about 10 minutes, until dough is smooth.
8. Place mixture back into covered bowl to rise for a couple (or few) hours (until it doubles in size).
9. Cut dough ball in half.
10. Cut each of those parts into four pieces (or three if you aren't comfortable making 4-stranded braids - or MORE if you are a REAL fancy-pants!) and make into strands as long and thin as you are able to make, without having the dough break apart.
11. Braid loosely (ensuring your dough rises as much as it needs), and tuck in the ends. Place on parchment paper or rub your baking tray with a little butter or oil.
12. Let raise again for a few hours. It should look like this:


Mix the last egg and brush on the loaves. Use the pearl sugar on top, and if you like, the maraschino cherries.


As the Finnish would say, "Nauttia!" (or "Enjoy!).