Olga Bay Cardamom Bread
- 30m Prep Time
- 25m Cook Time
- 2h Ready In
A braided cardamom bread from a family friend in Alaska, with Scandinavian influence. Perfect with cranberry-orange butter.
Ingredients
- 29.6 ml active dry yeast
- 237 ml sugar
- 73.9 ml sugar
- 118 ml warm water
- 355 ml unsalted butter
- 532 ml whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 29.6 ml ground cardamom
- 14.8 ml kosher salt
- 2.13 L all-purpose flour
- 2.37 L all-purpose flour
- 78.9 ml unsalted butter melted
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 10 of 12 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 50.1 mg
- Iron: 4.78 mg
- Magnesium: 26.1 mg
- Phosphorus: 155 mg
- Potassium: 164 mg
- Zinc: 1 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 29.6 ml active dry yeast
- 237 ml sugar
- 73.9 ml sugar
- 118 ml warm water
- 355 ml unsalted butter
- 532 ml whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 29.6 ml ground cardamom
- 14.8 ml kosher salt
- 2.13 L all-purpose flour
- 2.37 L all-purpose flour
Prepare
- Melt 78.9 ml unsalted butter
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in ½ cup warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
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Step 2.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter. Add 2¼ cups whole milk and warm through, but do not boil.
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Step 3.
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs and the remaining 1¼ cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Step 4.
Add the warm milk mixture, yeast mixture, 2 tablespoons ground cardamom, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the egg mixture. Stir to combine.
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Step 5.
Gradually stir in 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour, starting with 9 cups, until the dough becomes stiff and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
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Step 6.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth, firm, and no longer sticky, about 8 to 10 minutes.
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Step 7.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes.
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Step 8.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a large baking sheet.
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Step 9.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal portions. Divide each portion into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 12 inches long.
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Step 10.
Braid 3 ropes together for each loaf, pinching the ends to seal. Place both braided loaves on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
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Step 11.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
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Step 12.
Remove the loaves from the oven and immediately brush with ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.