Christmas Bread

Discussion in 'Recipes and Cooking' started by Droopy, Nov 21, 2008.

  1. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    That's what we call it anyway. This bread is normally made and eaten in November and December. It tastes good with butter and brown cheese, the Norwegian goat cheese, but that's for Norwegians only I think. :D

    Recipe. I've tried to convert, but I might have converted to the wrong measurements. Please correct as needed.

    2 litres / 8.5 cups flour
    250 grams / 0,5 pounds butter
    7 deciliters / 2 cups milk
    50 grams / 2.75 tablespoons or almost 3 small packets fresh yeast
    250 grams / 0,5 punds sugar
    2 eggs
    250 grams / 0,5 punds candied lemon rind
    250 grams / 0,5 punds raisins
    2 teaspoons cardamom

    egg for brushing on top

    Dissolve yeast in warm milk.
    Work the butter into the flour.
    Add eggs, sugar, milk with yeast, candied lemon rind, raisins and cardamom.
    Work dough well and leave to rise in a warm place for about one hour.

    Knead dough thoroughly, divide into three, make loaves and leave to rise for about half an hour. Brush with egg.

    Bake at 225 C/ 437 F for approx. 30 minutes. To keep the colour golden, put baking paper on top to prevent further browning. Leave to cool covered with a cloth.
     
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  3. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    The loaves are rising before going into the oven:

    [​IMG]

    All done. I didn't pay attention, so they baked a lot browner than I like them. This is what it looks like without any cover on top during baking:

    [​IMG]

    The taste was very good, though, but not as good as those my grandmother used to make:

    [​IMG]
     
  4. dooley

    dooley Super Garden Turtle

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    I make a cardamon bread for Christmas that sounds like that recipe. My books are all packed so I can't tell exactly. Sometimes instead of raisins I use candied fruit. I sometimes sprinkle confectioners sugar on the top to make them look festive. I sometimes use cardamom in cookies too. dooley
     
  5. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    We use a very similar recipe Droopy and it certainly tastes wonderful - especially warm straight from the oven. I've always just called it fruit bread as we use either raisins or sultanas in it. I must make the long ones you do though as ours are simply loaf shaped. :-D
     



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  6. Biita

    Biita Arctic-ally Challenged Forager

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    Surprisingly i have never made this. Altho i eat it every year...lol. I think that is the same recipe Aunt makes each year. If not its close. Maybe i should give it a try. And your bread looks great even tho you think its too brown, i think its a bread i wouldn't have minded being right there when it was taken out of the oven. Yummy! warm bread!!!
     
  7. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    How fun to hear that it's made elsewhere too. :D We managed to eat almost a whole bread yesterday, and I'm taking one (nearly one) with me today, since I'll be out most of the day. A gal's gotta eat you know?
     
  8. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Droopy I have converted some of your measurements into what we commonly use for baking.

    2 liters of flour == 8.5 cups
    7 deciliter of milk == 2 cups
    50 grams yeast == 2.75 Tablespoons if you buy yeast in a jar or almost 3 of the small packets.

    Also, are you sure about the oven temp? I have never seen a bread recipe that bakes at higher than 375 degrees F/190C...especially for an hour.
     
  9. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    Thank you Toni, you're the best baking converter I know! *blowing a kiss your way*

    Yes, the temp is correct, for half an hour, but I don't think it would hurt to bake it at lower temps since it browned so much.

    Edit: I changed the time to 30 minutes, since half an hour is easily misread.
     
  10. bunkie

    bunkie Young Pine

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    i make a very similar Christmas bread each year around this time too droopy. i add walnuts, and i braid it into a ring, like a wreath. i also drizzle a little confection sugar icing over it. we love the Cardamom flavor! i always remember my mom calling it Norwegian Bread.
     
  11. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I could have sworn you had the time as an hour, but then I hadn't had my first cup of coffee when I wrote that so no telling what my brain was seeing.

    I think I will have to try this bread it does sound good.
     
  12. CritterPainter

    CritterPainter Awed by Nature

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    Oh man, there goes the low-carb diet...
     
  13. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    Bunkie, how fun to read! :D

    Toni, we don't want coffee-deprived people setting their houses on fire, now, would we?

    CP - you can start your diet tomorrow. ;)
     
  14. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    I like the sound of that, Droopy. The cardamom is a good ingredient. I really like using that to make tea and Indian dishes. I could eat those little black seeds every day. :oops:
    It´s easy to see how one could consume a whole bread in a day. Easy-peasy.
    ...or as we say here-- een makkie.
     

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