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Finnish Pulla is a celebration bread braided beautifully like a wreath. It gets its nice flavor from the cardamom and it is adorned with crunchy almonds as finishing on top.
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Finnish Pulla

Finnish Pulla is a celebration bread braided beautifully like a wreath. It gets its nice flavor from the cardamom and it is adorned with crunchy almonds as finishing on top.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Finnish
Keyword pulla bread
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rise times 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 214kcal
Author sanna

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup warm water 110-115 F
  • 1 tbsp active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten,room temperature
  • 4 and 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 stick unsalted butter melted

For the Glaze

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp milk

For the Topping

  • sliced almonds
  • sugar

Instructions

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk until it reaches 110 F. In a large mixing bowl, stir the yeast in warm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
  • Add the milk, sugar, cardamom, salt, and eggs to the large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate everything. Add 2 cups of flour and stir until smooth. Stir in the butter and add just enough of the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough is formed. The dough should be able to gather together in a shaggy mass but is not dry.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes. 

First Rise

  • Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about ten minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour or until doubled.

Shape The Dough

  • Line a 14-inch pizza pan with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly knead the dough just to deflate it and divide it into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long rope of about 36 inches in length. Braid the three ropes of dough from one end and once you reach the other end, lift the dough and transfer it to the pizza pan, shaping it into a circle as you lay it down. Pinch and seal the ends together to close the circle.

Second Rise

  • Cover the assembled dough with a clean towel and let rise for about 45 minutes until puffy, but not necessarily doubled.

Bake the Pulla

  • Preheat oven to  375 F. Beat one egg with 1 tablespoon of milk and brush this glaze over the surface of the dough.  Sprinkle the top with sugar and almonds. Bake pulla for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden. 

Video

Notes

Recipe from Finnish Pulla from the book Baking with Julia.
Nutrition Facts
Finnish Pulla
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 214 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 167mg7%
Potassium 73mg2%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 250IU5%
Calcium 30mg3%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.7mg