Norwegian School Bread Recipes

NORWEGIAN SCHOOL BREAD (SKOLEBRøD)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine milk and butter and heat in a saucepan over medium-high heat just until milk is scalded (when small bubbles rise uniformly across surface of liquid). Remove from heat and cool until "finger-warm."
• Stir yeast and sugar into lukewarm milk and allow to sit for 10 minutes. The surface should begin to bubble as yeast proofs.
• After 10 minutes, stir in cardamom and flour until dough pulls away from sides of mixing bowl.
• Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough when it has risen, remove to a floured surface, and knead until smooth and shiny.
• Use hands to roll dough into a thick 18-inch-long "snake," then cut this length into 20 equal pieces.
• Roll each piece between hands into a spherical bun and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover buns again with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare pudding mix as directed, only reducing milk to 2 1/2 cups. Allow pudding to thicken at room temperature while buns rise.
• Preheat oven to 375 F. Gently press down center of each bun to form a well after they have risen. Fill with 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of pudding (there will probably be some pudding left over). Allow to rise for an additional 10 minutes.
• Brush well-beaten egg onto edges and sides of buns.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• In a small bowl, mix the confectioners' sugar with the water. Brush the sugar glaze on top of buns, around but not over pudding "eye." Dip into shredded coconut.

NORWEGIAN SKOLEBROD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add melted butter, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup sugar and cardamom. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until shiny and pliable. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Divide the dough into twenty four equal pieces and form into rounds. Place the rounds on to lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Brush risen rolls with beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until nicely browned with pale sides. Cool completely on wire racks.
• To make pastry cream: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until well combined. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of milk. Place the remaining milk and the vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil and whisk it into the yolk mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and spread the pastry cream over the plastic to cool it as quickly as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until cold. Place the cooled pastry cream into a pastry bag and fill the buns with cream.

NORWEGIAN SCHOOL BREAD

Steps:

• Combine milk and butter in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until scalded. Remove from heat and let sit until it is lukewarm.
• Add the yeast and sugar to the milk and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cardamom and flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
• Cover with a clean towel and let rise about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
• When the dough has finished rising, punch it down, turn out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and shiny.
• Roll the dough into an 18" long log and slice into 20 equal sections. Roll each section into a ball and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Cover the buns and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the pudding mix as directed, except reduce the milk to 2.5 cups. Allow pudding to thicken at room temperature while the buns are rising.
• Preheat oven to 365°F
• Once the buns have finished rising, use your finger to poke a well in the top center of each bun. Scoop 1-1.5 tbsp pudding into each well. Allow dough to rise 10 more minutes.
• Brush a well-beaten egg over the edges and sides of the dough.
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and brush the dough with the sugar glaze, being careful to not get the glaze on the pudding. Dip into shredded coconut.

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, egg, butter, salt, cardamom and 2 cups flour; mix well. Stir in raisins, citron and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to greased top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Shape each portion into a flattened ball. Place in two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.