Grandma’s Traditional Recipe
Braided Swedish Cardamom Bread
You are in for a treat, when you bake my authentic braided Swedish cardamom bread. It is sweet, so it can be eaten for breakfast or dessert.
The bread isn’t sugary sweet, like we are accustomed to here in the US, but is sweeter than a regular sandwich bread.
My favorite way to eat it this Scandinavian bread is warm with butter and lingonberry jam.
Lingonberries are common in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, so the jam adds to the authentic cardamom bread experience.
You can also add a powdered sugar glaze to the loaf, when it is still warm.
Or you can use the bread to make delicious French toast or bread pudding.
As with any yeast bread, the rising time will vary depending upon how cold or hot it is.
If your kitchen is warm, it will rise more quickly.
And if your kitchen is cold, allow extra time for the yeast to work its magic.
Whole cardamom seeds are preferred, since the spice is most flavorful if you grind the seeds just prior to making the bread.
The little seeds are very hard, so you’ll need a spice grinder instead of just a mortar and pestle.
My grandmother came to the United States from Sweden in the early 1900’s, but this bread was adapted from another Swedish grandmother’s recipe.
I believe that my grandma would have approved, and that she would have enjoyed a slice of this traditional bread with jam.
Enjoy!
Swedish Cardamom Bread Recipe
Prep time 20 minutes
Bake time 45 minutes
Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients
2 1⁄2 cups Milk
1⁄4 cup Butter
2 packets Yeast (or 4 1⁄2 t)
6 1⁄2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 t Cardamom, ground
2 Eggs
3⁄4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 t Salt
Supplies
Saucepan
Thermometer
Spice Grinder, if using whole cardamom
Mixer
2 Cookie Sheets
Nonstick Baking Spray
Instructions
1) Pour milk into a saucepan set to medium heat. Scald milk by cooking it for about 5 minutes, stirring continually, until it reaches 185°.
2) Add butter to scalded milk, so that it melts. Cool to lukewarm and stir in yeast.
3) Add milk mixture and 2 1/2 cups flour to mixing bowl and beat until batter is smooth. Let stand for about 30 minutes, so that the yeast bubble action begins.
4) If using whole cardamom, grind seeds in a spice grinder. Beat eggs, sugar, salt and cardamom into the batter. Then mix in 4 cups flour.
5) Knead dough thoroughly and let rise until it has doubled in size, about an hour. Rising time will be shorter in warm weather and longer in cold weather.
6) Cut dough in half and then cut each half into thirds. Roll each piece until about 12 inches long. Braid three long pieces together and tuck the ends underneath. Place loaf on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Repeat for 2nd loaf.
7) Let loaves rise until triple in size, about 1 hour.
8) Bake loaves at 350° for 45 minutes.
More from Mama Likes To Cook
Check out my other dessert recipes, so you can get more sweet inspiration.
Following are a few of my other delicious dessert recipes:
- Layered Peanut Butter Brownies
- Strawberry Swirl Fudge
- Rice Krispies Scotcheroos
- Caramel Apple Cookie Bars
Then take a look at the rest of my vegetarian recipes, so you can have even more delicious fun in the kitchen!
