The smell of freshly ground cardamom is truly wonderful. If you can’t find fresh cardamom, you can substitute the preground spice, but nothing compares to the flavor and aroma of grinding the seeds right before they are used. We grind ours with a mortar and pestle. We think of this as a festive loaf, filled with spices, orange zest, and nuts. Serve it on a special occasion or during the holiday season.
MAKES: 2 braided/round loaves
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup scalded milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 18 cardamom pods, shelled and ground (or 1/2 teaspoon ground seeds)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached white flour
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
- egg white
- sliced or slivered almonds
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine yeast and warm water in a small bowl, and set aside.
- Scald milk and add butter. Stir to melt butter, and then add honey, orange juice, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside to cool. When mixture is lukewarm, add ground cardamom, cinnamon, and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Add eggs, yeast, and orange zest.
- Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time until dough is a slightly sticky mass. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour until dough is not sticky. Knead a minute or 2 more. Put in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles, about 2 hours.
- Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a round, slightly flat loaf and place on opposite ends of a buttered cookie sheet. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Brush top with beaten egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Bread will be golden brown and sound hollow when the bottom is tapped.
BRAIDED LOAVES:
- Cardamom Bread is festive when baked in a braid! After the dough has risen for the second time, divide each half into 3 equal portions. Roll the thirds into ropes. Pinch 3 rope ends together, and loosely braid the dough. Pinch the opposite ends to keep the braid together. Let the braided loaves raise until doubled, about 1 hour, on a well-buttered cookie sheet. Bake as directed.
