Who Knew? How To...Cardamom Easter Bread

Linking up to 'HOW-TO tuesday'.....enjoy!

There is probably not a more tantalizing aroma then that of bread baking. And certainly, nothing is more irresistible than bread hot out of the oven.

It has been a long time family tradition for us to bake Cardamom Easter Bread. It's a sweet twisted dough with pastel colored eggs nestled in. Having a warm slice with butter is just the same now as it was then - amazing. And the intense flavor and aroma of cardamon always brings back all the wonderful memories of past Easter celebrations. Maybe this delicious bread can become an Easter tradition in your house too!

This is what you will need:

Flour, active dry yeast, ground cardamom, milk, butter, sugar, salt and eggs.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 3/4 cup flour, and cardamon. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, heat milk, butter, sugar and salt just until warm.  Stir constantly.

Then pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. 

Add 1 egg.  Beat at low speed for 1/2 minute, then beat for 3 minutes at high.

By hand stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, 5-7 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides of the dough.  Cover and let rest until the dough doubles, about 1 1/4 hour.

Punch dough down and then turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and form into 2 balls.  Let rest 10 minutes.

Next, roll each ball into a 24" rope.  Line up ropes 1" apart on a greased baking sheet and loosely twist, starting in the middle, and shape into a ring.   Arrange 5 raw eggs in the empty spaces in the twist.  Cover and let rise 40 minutes, or until double.

Before baking, brush the dough with milk and sprinkle with 2 T of sugar.  

Bake at 375℉, for 20-25 minutes.  Remove to a rack and cool. 

I experience a special satisfaction when I continue the family tradition of making homemade  Cardamom Easter Bread. It's an important part of Easter for me. And I love seeing how excited my grandbabies are when they see this special bread waiting for them!

Mimi

Here is the Recipe:

Cardamom Easter Egg Bread

1 package active dry yeast

2 3/4 to 3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 t cardamom

3/4 cup milk

4 T butter
1/3 cup sugar

1/2 t salt

1 egg


5 raw eggs (still in their shells)-to be put in the twisted bread, eggs can be dyed in food coloring or left white (the raw eggs will cook as the bread is baking-eat them if you choose)

In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, 3/4 cup flour, and cardamom. Set aside. Next, in a small sauce pan, heat together milk, butter, sugar and salt until just warm, stirring constantly to melt the butter.

Now, add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Add in one egg.  Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of the bowl a few times. Then beat 3 minutes on high speed

By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes.  Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat dough completely.  Cover and let rise till double in size, about 1 1/4 hours.

Punch dough down. Then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half, forming into 2 balls.  Let rest 10 minutes. 

Next, roll each ball into a 24" long rope.  Line up the ropes 1" apart on a greased baking sheet and loosely twist and shape into a ring.  Arrange the five raw eggs (they can be dyed with food coloring before hand) in the empty spaces.  Cover and let rise in warm place 40 minutes or until double in size. Before baking, brush  dough with a little milk and sprinkle with 2 T of sugar. 

Bake at ℉ oven for 20 - 25 minutes.  Remove to a rack and allow to cool.

For 2 loaves of Cardamon Braided Easter Bread  
Follow recipe as above, after 1 1/4 hour rest continue as follows:

Punch dough down. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six equal portions and form into balls.  Let rest 10 minutes. 

Roll each ball into a 16" long rope.  Line up three ropes 1" apart on a greased baking sheet and loosely braid beginning in the middle.  Pinch ends and tuck under. Repeat process with the remaining 3 ropes on another greased baking sheet. Arrange raw eggs in empty spaces in the braid.  Cover and let rise in warm place 40 minutes or until double in size. Brush each loaf with milk and sprinkle with 2 T of sugar. 

Bake in a 375℉ oven for 20-25 minutes.  Remove to a rack and allow to cool.


We've linked up to Sweet as Sugar Cookie's - Sweets for Saturday