A classic from Peggy - and a staple of Christmas-time!

Ingredients

2 c warm milk

3/4 c sugar

1 tsp salt

1 large tbsp yeast

1/4 c butter + 1/4 c shortening, melted

2 eggs

2 heaping tsps fresh ground cardamom

~6-6 1/2 cups bread flour

1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water

Swedish pearl sugar

Equipment

Directions

. Mix all ingredients until a fine smooth dough forms.

• ​Combine the sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
• Warm the milk in the microwave (about 1:30 on High). Mix to even out any hot spots.
  • Add the milk to the sugar mixture and whisk to combine.
• Melt the butter and shortening together; stir to combine.
  • Slowly whisk the butter/shortening into the mixture in the bowl.
• Crack the eggs into the now empty measuring cup (to make sure they're good).
  • Add the eggs and whisk to combine.
• Freshly grind cardamom pods into a fine powder.
  • Add to mixture and whisk to combine.
• Place bowl on stand mixer. Add three cups flour and mix with the dough hook on low until combined.
• Add flour in increments until a smooth supple dough forms.
  • ​Depending on your dough, this can take anywhere from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups of flour.

2. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

• Spray a large Pyrex bowl with nonstick spray.
• Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead by hand for a minute.
• Move dough to greased bowl, turning to ensure the grease covers the top of the dough.
• Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel.
  • The dough will rise above the rim of the bowl, so don't use a snap on plastic lid.

3. Punch down and let rise again.

• This takes roughly an hour.

4. Punch down. Divide dough in half, and each half into thirds. Make two loaf braids and fit into greased bread loaf pans.

• To ensure even loaves, divide by weight, not just by eye.
• Make sure the braids are not much longer than the loaf pans themselves when braided; otherwise they will get squished in the pans and the individual strands will not rise evenly.
• Optionally, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  • The next morning, let come to room temperature and rise for a bit before baking.

5. Let rise to the tops of the pans.

6. Heat oven to 360°F.

• Yep, 360°, not 350°.
• ​Baste loaves with egg/water mixture and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
• Bake 35 minutes.

7. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool fully on a cooling rack.

• ​If you leave them in the pans too long they get soggy.

Notes

• Makes two big loaves (10x5x3 pan - 1.5 lb) or three normal loaves (8.5x4.5x2.75 pan - 1 lb)
• Yes, that does read 360°. I have had trouble in the past with the bread being a little underdone in the middle, especially the large loaves. It's hard to overcook this bread, so err on the side of more time rather than less - if the tops are browning too quickly, you can cover them with foil.
• Each slice contains approximately 7.5g sugar.

Fantail Rolls

• I followed this guide from Deb to make this into fantail rolls.
  • Because this recipe is double that one, ​I divided the dough into quarters, and when I rolled it out and cut and stacked, the layers seemed thin. However, they rose to fill the muffin tins nicely. It made 24 rolls.
  • I forgot to pull apart the layers as Deb mentions; I'll try this next time.
  • ​I baked them at 375° for 15-20 minutes, as per the guide, not per the bread recipe.