Best Cardamom Braid Bread Recipes

NORWEGIAN CARDAMOM BREAD BRAIDS

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add warm milk, sugar, butter, 2 eggs, cardamom, salt and 6 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours., Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into fourths. Divide each portion into thirds; shape each into a 12-in. rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 375°. Beat remaining egg; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks.

CARDAMOM BRAIDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm milk. Add 3/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, butter, cardamom, salt, 3 cups of flour and remaining warm milk; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours. , Punch dough down; divide into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a 16-in. rope. Place 3 ropes on a greased baking sheet; braid. Pinch ends firmly and tuck under. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes on another baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Brush braids with milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350° until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

EASY CARDAMOM BREAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the warm milk, warm water, sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top, and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Once the yeast is foamy, stir in the flour, adding more if needed to make a stiff dough. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar with the cardamom and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 9x13-inch rectangle, and brush with 1/2 cup of melted butter. Sprinkle with the cardamom sugar, raisins, and walnuts. Roll into a log, pinch the edges closed, and place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• With a sharp knife score the top layer of the roll with V-shapes that don't quite meet in the middle the whole length of the roll, this will make the bread look braided, and is very pretty, but could be skipped. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with almonds and pearl sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is golden-brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

FINNISH CARDAMOM BRAIDS

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, butter, salt, cardamom, eggs and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Divide each half into thirds. Shape each piece into a 13-in. rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet. Braid ropes; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

CARDAMOM BRAID BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, cardamom and salt. In a small saucepan, heat 1-1/2 cups milk, butter and honey to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough (dough will be sticky). , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Divide each portion into thirds. Shape each into a 14-in. rope. Place 3 ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Brush with remaining milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375° until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

SWEDISH CARDAMOM BRAIDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, egg yolks, cardamom, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Divide each half into three portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each portion into a 16-in.-long rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Brush warm loaves with butter. Combine the pecans, sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over loaves.

CARDAMOM HOLIDAY BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, eggs, sugar, butter, cardamom, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 9 portions. Roll each into a 12-in. rope. Place ropes on greased baking sheets. Working with 3 at a time, braid ropes. Pinch ends to seal; tuck under., Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, make a glaze by mixing confectioners' sugar and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over loaves; decorate as desired with cherries and almonds.

SWEDISH CARDAMOM BRAID

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, measure 1 cup flour and add the dry ingredients.
• Blend with a wooden spoon. pour in the hot water and stir with 25 strong strokes, or for 2 minutes with the mixer flat beater.
• Cut the soft butter into several pieces and drop into the batterlike dough.
• Add the egg, cardamom and raisins.
• Stir in additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, first with the spoon and then by hand, or with the beater and then the dough hook.
• The dough will form a rough mass and clean the sides of the bowl.
• Because of the large amount of butter, the dough will not be sticky. It should be firm, but not stiff.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. With a strong push turn fold action, knead till the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, or knead with the mixer under the dough hook for the same length of time.
• Return the dough to the bowl; cover with plastic wrap and put aside at room temperature till the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and turn it onto a floured surface; knead briefly to work out air bubbles.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll each part under your palms into a strand 14 inches long.
• Beginning in the middle of the strands, braid loosely to one end. Reverse the loaf and again braid from middle to end.
• Pinch the ends closed and place on a baking sheet.
• Cover the dough with wax paper and leave till doubled in bulk and puffy to the touch, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F 20 minutes before baking.
• Before baking, brush the braid with the egg white glaze.
• Bake till the crust is rich brown, about 45 minutes.
• A wooden toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• Remove braid from the oven. Use a metal spatula to lift it off the baking sheet, because the hot loaf will be fragile and might break.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• This bread keeps well and toasts beautifully and also freezes well.