VegetarianNorth Dakota Scandinavian cuisine Baking

Swedish Cardamom Braid

Name: Swedish Cardamom Braid
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: North Dakota Scandinavian
Ingredients: 4.5 cup All-purpose flour; 2.25 tsp Active dry yeast; 1 cup Whole milk; 0.5 cup Sugar; 0.5 cup Butter; 2 unit Egg; 1.5 tsp Ground cardamom; 0.75 tsp Salt; 3 tbsp Pearl sugar

A glossy, braided sweet bread perfumed with cardamom, a staple of North Dakota's Swedish immigrant baking tradition. Sliced and served with coffee, it's a fixture of holiday mornings.

🇺🇸United States· North Dakota

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 260 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

Equipment

•Stand mixer
•Baking sheet

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 260 kcal
fat: 8
carbs: 40
protein: 6
calories: 260

Instructions

1
Mix the yeast, warm milk, and a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
2
Add the flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt to a mixer bowl. Mix them together.
3
Add the yeast mixture, butter, and 1 egg. Knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy.
4
Cover the dough. Let it rise for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
5
Split the dough into 3 equal ropes. Braid them together and pinch the ends closed.
6
Move the braid to a sheet pan. Cover it and let it rise for 30 minutes more.
7
Brush the braid with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle pearl sugar over the top.
8
Bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes. It should look deep golden and sound hollow when tapped.
9
Let the bread cool on a wire rack before you slice it.

Chef's tips

Grind whole cardamom pods fresh if you can. Pre-ground cardamom loses its smell quickly and has less flavor.

Storage

Store wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days, or freeze whole for up to 2 months.

Reheating

Warm slices briefly in a toaster oven if desired; otherwise serve at room temperature.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Not letting the braid rise long enough, which makes the bread heavy and dense.
•Braiding the dough ropes too tightly, which stops the bread from rising properly.