Finnish Coffee Bread (traditional)

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast (original recipe specifies one package but i use 2)
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 -12 cardamom pods, seeded and crushed, depending on how strong a cardamom flavor you like (i use 10-12)
• 5 eggs, beaten, divided (1 egg is used for glaze)
• 8 -10 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar, for glazing braids (or less)

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl.
• 2 stir in milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, 4 eggs, and 2 cups of flour.
• 3 stir until dough is smooth.
• 4 add 3 cups of flour and stir well.
• 5 stir in melted butter or margarine.
• 6 stir in 2-3 cups more flour or until you have a stiff dough.
• 7 turn dough out onto a floured bread board and cover with inverted bowl.
• 8 let rest for 15 minutes.
• 9 knead dough until smooth and satiny (8-10 minutes).
• 10 place dough in large lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top.
• 11 cover with plastic wrap and/or towel.
• 12 let dough rise in a warm place until doubled (1-2 hours).
• 13 punch dough down.
• 14 let dough rise again until almost double (30 minutes- 1 hour).
• 15 turn out onto floured board.
• 16 divide dough into thirds, working with only one third at a time.
• 17 divide (one- third of dough) into three parts.
• 18 with your hands roll each part into one 18"strand.
• 19 braid the three stands together to form one braid, tucking ends under.
• 20 place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
• 21 let rise 20-30 minutes until puffy.
• 22 repeat with other two parts (each one-third of original dough).
• 23 you will have three braids when finished.
• 24 brush braids with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
• 25 bake in 400°f oven for 20-30 minutes or until braids are light brown.