Julekake Christmas Bread Recipes

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD (JULEKAKE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, mix the yeast with warm water to dissolve. In a saucepan, gently heat the margarine or butter with the milk until the margarine melts.
• In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of the flour with the sugar, salt, and ground cardamom.
• Add the yeast and margarine mixture, and combine with an electric mixer. Beat until the batter falls in sheets from beaters.
• Stir in the candied fruit and gradually add the remaining flour.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 F) until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and place on a pastry board.
• Shape into 2 loaves and place each in a greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
• Brush the tops of loaves with milk.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Bake at 375 F for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Serve and enjoy.

YULEKAKE - NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• in a heatproof bowl, put all raisins together and cover with approximately 5 cups of boiling water to soften. set aside.
• mix the 2 packages of dry yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water. mix well and let sit.
• boil 2 cups of milk until scalded. turn down heat to medium and add the 3/4 cup of butter until melted. remove from heat and set aside.
• in a large bowl measure 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 of the container of cardamom. mix well.
• add the two beaten eggs to the dry mixture. then add the milk/butter mixture. gradually add 6 of the 8 cups of flour and the dissolved yeast.
• drain the raisins. add the raisins and citron to the mix. now add the remaining 2 cups of flour.
• time to knead the bread! i use my heavy-duty mixer as it is easier on my hands and back. if manual knead, place dough on floured breadboard and knead completely.
• once the bread is kneaded, place into a large pre-floured bowl and cover with a dish towel or cloth allowing it to rise for 1 hour.
• after the dough has risen, cut it into two loaves. place each into a pre-greased, pre-floured baking loaf pan.
• again, cover each loaf pan and allow to rise for another hour.
• before placing the loaves into a pre-heated 300 degree oven, cut the top of each loaf with an X design, or a fancy cut design of your choice, and brush with 1 beaten egg.
• bake the loaves for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. increase the heat to 325 degrees for the next 30-45 minutes (test after 30 minutes with a toothpick for doneness - make take longer, make take less depending on your oven temperature).
• remove the loaves from the oven and brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
• let loaves cool completely before removing from pans.
• note: if you choose to omit the citron, which i do often, use 2 cups each of the golden and regular raisins instead.

JULEKAKE - CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Heat milk with sugar and butter.
• Let milk mixture cool.
• Mix together flour and cardamom and dried yeast.
• Add flour mixture to milk mixture.
• Mix well.
• Cover dough with a clean cloth, let stand in a warm place overnight.
• In the morning, work raisins and chopped citron into the dough.
• Form into loaves.
• Let rise until doubled in bulk.
• Bake at 350*.
• 45 minutes or until done.

JULE KAKE NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour, sugar, cardamom and salt in the mixer bowl. Combine the milk, butter, yeast and 2 eggs in another bowl, then incorporate into the dry ingredients with the mixer at low speed, 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is sticky but will not stick to your hand, about 12 minutes.
• Add raisins and citron on slow speed to incorporate, about 1 minute (do not overmix).
• Let the dough relax in the mixing bowl, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Mix to knock down, then remove to a flour-dusted table.
• Divide into four pieces and let rest, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Form dough into desired shapes, such as round loaves. Beat remaining egg and paint dough with egg wash. Transfer dough to a pan. Let rise again, covered, until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Paint again with egg wash. Bake until the loaves are deeply brown and sound hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Let fully cool.

JULE KAKA

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water.
• Scald milk, and add melted butter or margarine, salt, sugar. When lukewarm add to yeast and water. Stir in 4 cups flour. Cover, and place in a warm place. Let rise for about 2 hours, or till doubled in bulk.
• Punch down. Stir in cardamom, cherries, raisins and citron. Work in remaining flour until soft dough forms. Let rise in warm place for 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled.
• Knead slightly, and form into 4 round loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise for 1 to 2 hours, or till doubled. Brush loaves with beaten egg white.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

JULEKAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in warm milk, sugar, shortening, salt, cardamom, egg, raisins, fruitcake mix and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat with spoon until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover; let rise in warm place about 1 hour 30 minutes or until double in size. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)
• Grease 9-inch round pan with shortening. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Shape into round loaf. Place in pan. Cover; let rise in warm place about 45 minutes or until double in size.
• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, beat egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water; brush over dough. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.