Swedish Christmas Braid Recipe
This Swedish Christmas Braid is one of the best of the kind I've ever known. Try this glazed bread with raisin and cardamom filling for your next meal. Your suggestions for this Swedish Christmas Braid are welcome.
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (105°-115°F)
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch powdered saffron
1 1/2 -2 cups flour
1 egg
Filling
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped candied lemon peel or citron
Unsalted butter, melted
Glaze 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Directions
1 Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes. Heat milk, butter, sugar, salt, and saffron to warm (105°€”115°F).
2 Combine 1 cup flour, yeast mixture, milk mixture, and egg in mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
3 Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth€”about 10 minutes.
4 Put in greased bowl, turning to coat top. Cover; let rise in warm place until double€”about 1 hour.
5 While dough is rising, make filling. Combine sugar, cardamom, raisins, and lemon peel or citron in small bowl.
6 Punch down dough. Roll dough into a 6-inch square. Brush a strip 2 inches wide down the center with melted butter. Put filling down center.
7 With scissors, cut strips toward center 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Alternating sides, fold strips over filling.
8 Place on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise until double€”about 30 minutes. Make glaze and brush on loaf. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven about 30€”40 minutes or until done. Cool on wire rack.
2 Combine 1 cup flour, yeast mixture, milk mixture, and egg in mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
3 Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth€”about 10 minutes.
4 Put in greased bowl, turning to coat top. Cover; let rise in warm place until double€”about 1 hour.
5 While dough is rising, make filling. Combine sugar, cardamom, raisins, and lemon peel or citron in small bowl.
6 Punch down dough. Roll dough into a 6-inch square. Brush a strip 2 inches wide down the center with melted butter. Put filling down center.
7 With scissors, cut strips toward center 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Alternating sides, fold strips over filling.
8 Place on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise until double€”about 30 minutes. Make glaze and brush on loaf. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven about 30€”40 minutes or until done. Cool on wire rack.
