Finnish Pulla

Growing up my mom would make this  delectable bread called Pulla.  It's a sweet bread that uses a spice called cardamom to give it flavor. Twelve years ago I tried to make this bread gluten free and failed miserably.  The bread was flat, hard enough to break teeth, and certainly not desirable. Ever since that depressing moment, I thought gluten free Pulla was impossible.  I put up this mental block, it was so bad. Then, last year, my 15 year old neighbor went with her family on sabbatical to Finland, and today she came over to my home and together we attempted to make Finnish Pulla.  IT WORKED!!! It was light, it was sweet, and it tasted like the "real" thing.  I am so ecstatic right now, I can't even contain my joy.



Here's a few tips to make sure your pulla works as well as mine. The dough will be moist and sticky. There is not kneading or braiding or shaping.  Instead scoop the dough with a large cookie scoop and place it in balls sort of kiddy-corner to each other, when it bakes it will look as if you truly did braid the dough together.

Finnish Pulla

2 1/4 c. milk
1 1/4 c. butter/ margarine (I used "I can't believe it's not butter.")
2 1/4 tsp yeast
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 TBS. cardamom
1 tsp salt
2 tsp xanthan gum
4 1/2 c. EGF all-purpose flour mix
Sugar Crystals (sugar in the raw, or use the ones found on the cake decorating aisle)

 

Heat the milk and butter until warm, but not boiling. Remove from heat. Add yeast.
In a large mixing bowl, or stand mixer, add 2 eggs, sugar, salt, cardamom, and xanthan gum.  Beat just until mixed.  Add half the milk mixture and then 4 cups of the flour.  Beat well.  Add the rest of the milk mixture followed by the last 1/2 c. of flour.  Beat on high for 2-3 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop a ball of dough (it will be sticky) and place it on the parchment paper.  Scoop a second ball and place it 1/2 way up the ball.  Continue to scoop dough until the bread is the size you want it.  I made several smaller loaves, since they would transfer from pan to plate better.

With a fork, whisk your last egg in a separate bowl.  Brush the egg on top of each loaf.  Sprinkle generously with sugar crystals.  Rise for 15-20 min.

Bake for 20-25 min, or until the tops have started to brown.

Eat!  These are wonderful hot or cold.  the cardamom taste really comes out as they cool.  We also used to shape the dough into balls, cut off the tops (after baking) and fill them with whipped cream and jam!

I hope you like them as much as I do!!!

Happy Cooking!