Finnish Viipuri Pretzel (coffeebread) |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 15 |
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40 minutes to make PLUS dough rising times; there are two. I may have a Hungarian heritage and not Finnish but my family and I love coffeebreads! Do not confuse this with a coffeecake. Coffee time use to make up three of the six meals of a Scandinavian day. Read more . Coffeebreads are not served with meals, but are an addition to morning coffee, afternoon coffee, or evening coffee. Normally, coffeebreads are not buttered and if sweet, are still called coffeebread. The recipe below is a combination of cardamom and nutmeg with a sprinkling of sugar for sweetness. Do not try to knead the dough in a regular size KA mixer. The dough ball is way to big. Unless you have a PRO LINE Kitchen Aide mixer, you will be kneading by hand . . . which is a great therapeutic exercise =). Ingredients:
1 pkg. (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast |
1/4 c. warm water, about 105 to 115 degrees f. |
2 eggs |
2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm |
1 c. sugar |
1 t. salt |
1 1/2 t. freshly ground cardamom, or use regular ground cardamom |
1/2 t. freshly ground nutmeg, or bottled, ground nutmeg |
5 to 6 c. unbleached all-purpose flour |
1/4 c. soft butter |
glaze |
1 slightly beaten egg |
2 t. milk |
pearl sugar or crushed sugar cubes |
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg and beat well until blended. Add 4 cups flour and beat until smooth. Stir in the butter and add flour until dough is stiff. Cover and let dough rest 15 minutes.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead, adding flour to prevent stickiness, until smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Wash bowl, grease it, and add dough to the bowl, turning it over to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Cover 3 baking sheets with parchment paper, silicon mats or grease them and sprinkle with flour.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide into 3 parts. between hands and work surface, roll out each part of dough to make strands about 40 inches long. Place on the prepared baking sheets in the form of a pretzel. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Mix the egg and milk to make a glaze. Brush pretzels all over with the glaze and sprinkle with the sugar.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Do not over-bake. Remove from oven and cool on racks.
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