Swedish - Sweet Coffee Bread
By: Anonymous
Published: Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 12:42am

Ingredients




1 cup milk 
6 tablespoons butter
2 eggs 
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt 
2 pkgs. active dry yeast 
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom or 6 whole cardamom seeds, cru
4 cups King Arthur flour

Preparation

1 Note:  I use a mixer with a dough hook and, instead of greasing the pan, I use a Silpat or parchment paper. 2 Combine milk and shortening in saucepan and heat until lukewarm (105 to 115 degrees). Pour into mixing bowl. Add eggs, sugar, salt, yeast, crushed cardamom and 1 cup King Arthur flour and beat for 2 minutes with electric beater. Gradually add balance of flour stirring by hand (I use a dough hook) until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. (don't add too much flour or the bread will be too dry) 3 Place dough on a board knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with the dough hook, let rise in greased bowl until double in bulk, punch down, and divide in half. Now cut each half into 3 pieces, roll each piece into a rope and braid. (If you wish, you may form the loaves without braiding.) Place loaves in 2 greased bread pans (I put a Silpat in the the pan). Brush tops of loaves with egg whites and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar or pearl sugar, let rise until double in bulk, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  For a convection oven, It takes about 12 minutes.  I